From Rejection to Recognition: Banyanyarwanda Celebrate Museveni’s Executive Order

By John Kusolo

The Council for Abavandimwe has expressed profound gratitude to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for issuing Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, a landmark directive that they describe as a declaration of justice, humanity, and true statesmanship.

Frank M. Gashumba (M) speaking during the press conference held at Serena Hotel

Speaking on behalf of the Council and millions of Banyanyarwanda in Uganda, Frank Gashumba, Co-founder of the Council for Abavandimwe, said the Order has restored dignity, justice, and hope to a community that has suffered decades of exclusion, discrimination, and rejection.

*A Historic Decision*

According to Gashumba, the Banyanyarwanda, despite being born and raised in Uganda, were historically denied national identification, passports, and recognition. Many lived as stateless persons in the land of their birth, unable to access opportunities in education, jobs, or leadership because they were not issued National Identification Cards.

“We knocked on countless doors — from the Police Headquarters, the Inspectorate of Government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Uganda Human Rights Commission, to Parliament — but our cries went unheard. Finally, our case reached the highest office of the land, and President Museveni listened to us,” Gashumba noted.

The President’s Executive Order, he explained, outlawed systemic discrimination and reaffirmed the rights of Ugandan-born Banyanyarwanda to national recognition, restoring them as equal citizens under the law.

Healing a Broken People

The Council’s statement highlights the deep emotional scars caused by years of statelessness. Scientific research shows that rejection and exclusion activate the same areas of the brain as physical pain, meaning a broken heart can feel as real as a broken body.

“President Museveni’s intervention has given us renewed hope. When we were hungry, thirsty, strangers, or imprisoned by statelessness, he stood with us while many others turned away,” Gashumba said, citing Matthew 25:35-36, which emphasizes compassion and care for the marginalized.

Dignity Restored

The Council emphasized that Museveni’s decision has not only addressed the grievances of the Banyanyarwanda but also strengthened Uganda’s commitment to Pan-Africanism.

“President Museveni has shown that Pan-Africanism is not just a slogan but a lived reality. By issuing this Executive Order, he has proved that Uganda will not abandon its children or allow them to be treated as outsiders,” Gashumba said.

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has already begun implementing the directive, issuing National IDs to previously excluded Banyanyarwanda. However, Gashumba acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where bureaucratic hurdles continue to slow down progress.

In his concluding remarks, Gashumba urged the Banyanyarwanda community to rally behind President Museveni as a leader of compassion, courage, and vision.

“For this, we will vote for Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. We will rally every one of us to do the same. Abavandimwe tusingye okutendereza Mutatinde mu Katuulo 2026,” he declared.

The Council believes the President’s intervention is a powerful reminder that leadership is not only defined by power but also by justice, humanity, and the courage to stand with the marginalized.

📌 Key Takeaway: The Council for Abavandimwe, through Frank Gashumba, has hailed President Museveni’s Executive Order No. 1 of 2025 as a turning point for Uganda’s Banyanyarwanda, restoring their dignity, rights, and hope for the future, while reinforcing the spirit of Pan-Africanism.