The Canadian government has declared Uganda’s High Commissioner, Joy Ruth Acheng, persona non grata, following allegations of “uncouth behavior” and engaging in partisan politics, New Vision Online has learned exclusively.
A highly-placed source within Uganda’s foreign affairs ministry revealed that Acheng is set to be deported on August 21, 2024.
According to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, host countries may declare foreign diplomats unwelcome for any reason.
This development comes in the wake of a social media firestorm, during which National Unity Platform (NUP) party president Robert Kyagulanyi accused Acheng of openly participating in partisan politics in Canada.
A viral video emerged, showing Acheng in an angry exchange with NUP supporters on the streets of Toronto.
The incident was sparked by claims that Achileo Kivumbi, head of security at NUP headquarters in Kampala, had been abducted by security operatives.
Kivumbi was subsequently charged with possession of military wear and remanded to Luzira Prison.
In the video, Acheng, a former Kole Woman MP, is heard accusing NUP supporters of abducting and harming themselves, and threatening to call the police to remove them from the scene.
As the situation unfolds, the international community’s attention is on the diplomatic relations between Uganda and Canada, with the persona non grata declaration putting Acheng’s actions and the broader implications of diplomatic conduct in the spotlight.