Canada declares Uganda Ambassador “Persona non grata”

Uganda’s Ambassador to Canada, Joy Ruth Aceng

Kampala Aug. 17—The Canadian government has expelled the Ugandan Ambassador to Canada, Joy Ruth Aceng accusing her of breach of Diplomatic norms.

The Canadian decision to expel Ambassador Ruth Aceng followed her direct confrontation with a group of National Unity Platform, NUP, protesters in Ottawa, Canada.

Ruth Aceng who was dressed in the ruling NRM colours, exchanged bitter words with the protesters who were shouting slogans against the Uganda government over Human Rights violations. She accused NUP of killing its own people. “You people stop abducting yourselves, stop killing yourselves and saying it is Museveni”, she said. She also threatened to have the Canadian police arrest the protesters.

Following the incident, the Canadian government took the decision to request for Ambassador Ruth Aceng to be recalled.

Ambassadors and diplomatic envoys s are strictly prohibited from engaging in party politics at their missions to maintain neutrality and uphold international diplomacy principles.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations restricts their role to representing their home country’s interests, fostering good relations, promoting peace and not influencing the political landscape of their nation or the host nation. The Convention further states that involvement in politics could compromise their impartiality, strain bilateral relations and violate diplomatic protocols.

Ambassador Joy Ruth Aceng boarding her vehicle

Uganda and Canada have not had smooth diplomatic relations with Canada raising concerns over Human rights violations by the Ugandan authorities.

In 2018 Canada pulled out of a deal to finance Uganda Airlines planes citing concerns of Human Rights violations in Uganda.