135 Illegal Immigrants Arrested from Kampala

URN

135 illegal immigrants have been arrested by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) in Kampala. The suspects were arrested during a weekend operation overseen by Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa. The operation was prompted by local tips suggesting an influx of suspected illegal immigrants in Kabalagala and Kansanga areas.  

According to Arithea Nakiwala, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), DCIC deployed a team accompanied by covert security personnel to raid various establishments including restaurants, bars, hotels, shops, and supermarkets. Initially apprehending 335 individuals engaged in work or leisure activities, DCIC subsequently screened them. 

Of these, 200 were found possessing valid documents such as student passes, dependent passes, work permits, and tourism visas, leading to their release. The remaining 135 individuals were confirmed to lack necessary immigration documents and were detained.   

Nakiwala told reporters at the Naguru Police Headquarters on Monday, that the illegal immigrants would be presented in court before the week’s end. She explained that other suspects were picked up from Muyenga and Ggaba where they apprehended individuals mainly from Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Congo, and China.   

The courts will adjudicate their cases, potentially imposing fines, deportation, or detention. Nakiwala emphasized the importance of legalizing stay in Uganda, urging immigrants to apply for relevant documents like dependent passes for spouses and children of workers, and student passes for those studying in Uganda. 

“We urged all foreign immigrants to apply for documents legalizing their stay. If you are a child or a spouse to a person working in Uganda, you should apply for a dependent pass. If you are a student and here purposely for studies, you apply for a student pass,” Nakiwala said.

She highlighted universities and secondary schools in urban areas as key institutions where students are often found without proper documentation, noting discrepancies in guidance regarding visa and student pass applications.