This archive report was first published on 14 October 2021.
Published on October 14, 2021, a letter from Uganda's embassy in Beijing to the Chinese government revealed that 27 Ugandans were detained in Hebei and Beijing for overstaying their visas and engaging in illegal employment.
According to the embassy, the Covid-19 travel restrictions had severely impacted the repatriation and deportation processes, leading to the lengthy detention of the Ugandans.
The embassy expressed its willingness to work with the Chinese authorities to ensure the release and repatriation of the affected Ugandans.
Efforts by the Ugandan government to secure the release of the detainees were underway, with the Foreign Affairs ministry instructing the embassy in Beijing to follow up on the matter.
However, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr Vincent Bagire, noted that the decision to release the Ugandans lay with the Chinese government.
Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Uganda also acknowledged the issue and expressed confidence in finding a resolution through diplomatic channels.
