Businessman Rugiirwa Katatumba has failed to account and explain the legality of his Diplomatic Passport that has been making rounds on social media.
For days, Rugiirwa has been dominating the news after it emerged he illegally holds the Diplomatic travel.
According to sources, Rugiirwa and her twin sister Angella Katatumba each acquired a diplomatic passport following the passing of their dad.
Boney Katatumba was the honorary counsel of Pakistan.Angella illegally occupied his office following his death in 2018. Then, she helped her brother acquire the passport illegally.
Later, the High Commission for Pakistan in Nairobi described the honorary Consulate of Pakistani currently operating in Uganda under Ugandan singer and songwriter Angella Katatumba as fake, fictitious and with no legal authority.
In a letter dated March 13, 2018 and copied to the High Commission in Nairobi Kenya, all diplomatic missions, international organisations, consulates and Pakistan Association in Uganda, among others, the commission says the “so-called honorary consulate of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Uganda had been ceased to function with the demise of Boney Katatumba.”
And now when this website tasked Rugiirwa to explain how he acquired the passport, he could only stammer, claiming that it’s ‘fake news’.
To make matters worse, the showy fella has been moving around splashing the passport on social media and showing it to whoever cares to look his way.
There’s going concern as to why, how Ugandan businessman Rugiirwa Katatumba- who we revealed as a scandalous man involved in various fraud- holds a diplomatic passport, and now a section of Ugandans have tasked Immigration to explain and provide clarity on who qualifies for this much sought after travel document.
According to Immigration.go.ug, the official website of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of Uganda, Rugiirwa does not qualify to hold one (Diplomatic passport).
The official website states that a diplomatic passport can be issued to:- The President and Members of the First Family, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Chief Justice, government ministers and their spouses, head of Public Service, the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda, chancellors and Vice Chancellors of State Universities, judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and the High Court, Permanent Secretaries
Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of Permanent Commissions and recognized traditional or cultural leaders, foreign service officers and their spouses plus their children below the age of 18 staying with them abroad.
According to the above provided information, Rugiirwa doesn’t qualify.
And to make matters worse, the showy fella has splashed photos of the passport copy all over social media, an act of abuse of the passport and can be revoked.
“The stories have raised key issues at Immigration. I’m told there was an emergency meeting after the stories circulated to ask how Rugiirwa acquired the Diplomatic passport.
There’s panic,” a source at Immigration told us.
He added: “Some people are asking how bafeere get such important travel documents.This same issue happened sometime back with Mike Ezra.
Red Pepper published the passport and heads rolled. And now these guys are bitter that media could easily get a copy of Rugiirwa’s passport.
There was a meeting between officials from Immigration and Foreign Affairs which plays a part in issuing such passports.”
Another source added: “Only the minister is supposed to approve the diplomatic passport, so there are now serious questions how Rugiirwa could get it.It’s a serious issue to apply for a diplomatic passport in Uganda, individuals must submit an application through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, providing required documents and meeting the necessary criteria. Rugiirwa clearly didn’t follow this.”
“It (Diplomatic passport) is meant to facilitate official government business by Government agents and to bestow various levels of Immunity in execution of said business, Rugiirwa has no business owning one. But ofcourse we know it has been abused,” said a source at Immigration.
He added: “It cannot be brandished as an all-open pass for any and everyone that holds it. It carries terms and conditions for behavior and conduct.”
Now a section of Ugandans are petition Immigration and demanding answers.
Just last week, we revealed how Rugiirwa Katatumba has live a life marred by scandals.
While he might be the son of a highly respected Ugandan businessman, Rugiirwa has been no stranger to controversy over the years.
Unlike his late father, Bonny Katatumba, who was widely regarded as a noble figure and remains highly esteemed in Uganda, Rugiirwa has earned a reputation through controversy and scandal.
Rugiirwa’s involvement in financial scandals is well documented. Over the years, he has repeatedly been accused of defrauding business partners out of their hard-earned money. Efforts to talk to Rugirwa were futile as he couldn’t pick our calls.
