The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a fresh crackdown on the misuse of diplomatic passports, ordering former ministers and unelected Members of Parliament to immediately return the government-issued travel documents and transition to ordinary passports.
Speaking to the media on Friday 12th June, 2026 , Ministry spokesperson Simon Peter Mundeyi emphasized that diplomatic passports are a state privilege reserved exclusively for serving government officials engaged in official national duties. He stressed that the documents remain government property and must be surrendered once an individual leaves public office.
Mundeyi revealed that compliance has remained low despite previous government directives, prompting authorities to renew enforcement efforts.
The latest order revives similar campaigns carried out in 2008 and 2022, reflecting longstanding concerns that some former officials continue to enjoy diplomatic travel privileges years after leaving government service.
According to the ministry, the crackdown is intended to safeguard the integrity of Uganda’s diplomatic passport system, prevent abuse of state-issued documents, and ensure that such privileges are reserved strictly for active government representatives.
Officials have warned that failure to comply with the directive could attract further action as the government intensifies efforts to recover all diplomatic passports held by individuals no longer entitled to them.
