"Someone was picked, he had a Ugandan national ID, he had a Canadian passport, and the passport of another country. So, what is he?" - Marcelino Bwesigye, Asst Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Republic of Uganda, September 14, 2021.
https://youtu.be/gXoGKgLuC4A
Assistant Commissioner Bwesigye’s question raises the issue of multiple citizenship. Article 15 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda grants the right of dual citizenship, a measure that is very dear to my heart because of the struggle we engaged in until the 1995 Constitution was amended to allow it.
In my layman’s interpretation, Article 15 allows one to hold a maximum of two (dual) citizenships. It does not allow one to hold multiple (more than two) citizenships.
It is possible that the man who was allegedly found with three passports may be one of many in that situation. It is also possible that many who hold more than two citizenship are perfectly innocent people on whom circumstances imposed the necessity for multiple citizenships.
Therefore Mr. Bwesigye’s question invites careful consideration, guided by our legal scholars who understand the Constitution better than I can ever pretend to do. Perhaps there is a legal interpretation of “dual” that is different from my ordinary understanding of this English word. However, to this layman’s mind, Uganda allows us to hold no more than two national citizenships. Yes/no?
Over to you my learned friends and diplomats.