Watchdog Uganda

Watchdog Uganda https://www.watchdoguganda.com Latest News in Uganda and the rest of East African Region, Daily news and business from Uganda. Wed, 18 Aug 2021 18:46:37 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cropped-mobile_Icon-32x32.png Watchdog Uganda https://www.watchdoguganda.com 32 32 MPs decry unfair treatment of weightlifter Ssekitoleko https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119533/mps-decry-unfair-treatment-of-weightlifter-ssekitoleko.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 18:46:37 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119533 Members of Parliament have condemned the government in what they called ‘unfair treatment’ of weightlifter, Julius Ssekitoleko who is said to have disappeared while in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics games.

The legislators said that Ssekitoleko committed no offence and was therefore, treated unjustly.

The reaction from the MPs followed a statement on the arrest of Ssekitoleko presented by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi, at a parliamentary sitting on Wednesday, 18 August, 2021.

Gen. David Muhoozi said that on 17 July 2021, seven days before the 2020 Olympics began in Tokyo, Julius Ssekitoleko, a weightlifter from Uganda went missing from his hotel in Osaka, Japan.

Gen. Muhoozi said Ssekitoleko left the Olympic training camp after learning he did not meet standards to compete in the games. “His disappearance was reported to the Japanese authorities and immediately, a search for him was mounted by the Japan Police,” Muhoozi said.
The statement stated that he was found four days later and deported back to Uganda.
On the 23 July 2021, the athlete arrived back in Uganda and was immediately arrested and taken to CID Headquarters for questioning.

Gen Muhoozi added that on 27 June 2021, the Police file was sentto the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who advised that Ssekitoleko had not committed any offence under the laws of Uganda.

‘ The DPP accordingly ordered that the suspect be released unconditionally,” Muhoozi added.

Ssekitoleko joined the national Olympic team in 2018 and has competed in a number of local and international sporting events, winning medals.

The MPs however, held that Ssekitoleko should have been treated in a better way rather being received with handcuffs at the airport.

Bardege-Layibi Division MP, Hon. Martin Ojara Mapenduzi said the government needs to devise strategies to manage expectations and frustrations of the sports personalities.
“It is clear that Ssekitoleko was distraught after not qualifying for the competitions thus choosing to leave the camp,” he said adding that, ‘this needs to be managed so that it does not happen again’.

Mapenduzi added that instead of arresting Ssekitoleko, he should have been counselled on how to deal with his failure to qualify.
“There is need to come up with a system to help support our sports representatives in all aspects of their lives and create a fund for them so that they do not engage in desperate actions, “he said.

Hon. Dan Atwijukire (NRM, Kazo County) said the athlete was financially stressed prompting him to disappear and it was wrong to arrest.
“When these athletes represent our country and win medals, they lift our flag high and we receive them with open hands. We neglect those who may not have brought home a medal even when they put in effort,” he added.

Atwijukire held that the government should boost its financial support towards sports personalities to avert cases of disappearing sportsmen and women in the next events.

Hon. Asuman Basalirwa (JEEMA, Bugiri Municipality) asked the government to break the erroneous practice of security organs especially the police arresting people they suspect for wrong-doing without any evidence.
“It is a habit lately for the police to be knee-jerked into arresting people before gathering evidence for crimes they suspect them of; this is an embarrassment to the state,” he stated.

Basalirwa held that the issue of respect of the fundamental rights of Ugandans needs to be taken with utmost seriousness and he labeled the arrest of Ssekitoleko as misconduct of the police.

The Deputy Speaker, Anita Among said it was unfortunate for the national organisers of the teams to fail to ensure that all Ugandan participants qualify before they take them out for sporting events.

She asked the Minister of State for Sports to report on the selection and qualification criteria for sportsmen and women who are going out to compete at international events on behalf of the country.

]]> ANDREW MWENDA: The defeat of liberal imperialism https://www.watchdoguganda.com/op-ed/20210818/119467/andrew-mwenda-the-defeat-of-liberal-imperialism.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 17:07:42 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119467 The rapid collapse of the Afghanistan government before a rag tag army of poorly trained, poorly armed, poorly resourced and poorly commanded Taliban, who did not even have a big power bankrolling them, marks the defeat of one of the most disastrous experiments in international relations â€" liberal imperialism!

By liberal imperialism I mean the attempt by the West to remodel other nations in its own image ie to make them liberal democracies. The west tries this through diplomatic pressure (hectoring and threatening), economic blackmail (cutting aid) and in some radical cases (such as Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan etc) through the barrel of the gun.

Liberal imperialism is a mutilation of the original (or classical) liberal idea, which I think is an inspiring idea. Classical liberalism believes that human beings have different views and values; therefore we cannot agree even on basic principles. The best way to live together is to respect and tolerate diversity.

Domestically classical liberalism allowed a diversity of ideologies, beliefs, religions etc. that is to say it was l particularistic. At the international level, classical liberalism believes every society should have a form of government it’s people choose. It does not have the missionary creed to spread itself as a universal value to every part of the world precisely because it was based on the principle of tolerance of diversity.

Liberal imperialism, on the other hand, is universalist. It believes that liberalism must be spread around the globe to every society like a religion; that every nation regardless of circumstances, should become liberal or face sanctions or even war. It is, therefore, intolerant of diversity. It seeks to promote uniformity.

It is the desire to spread it internationally that makes liberal imperialism a dictatorial and intolerant creed. It is also the reason it has faced disaster after disaster in the last 30 years wherever it has been tried â€" most especially and explicitly in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan. Why? Because its international match seeking to impose itself on other society confronts an even more powerful ideology, nationalism.

So let us return to the collapse of the US supported government in Kabul â€" in what has been a record few days. America’s liberal imperial project has been defeated by the forces of nationalism. The major source of this failure is not that the US intervened and removed the Taliban and occupied the country. The occupation was derivative. The primary problem is that America sought to reshape Afghanistan in its own image ie make it a liberal democracy.

Although America’s aim in Afghanistan was to fight terrorism, the occupation was driven by the belief that to make that country inhospitable for terrorism requires a broad nation building project by turning it into a liberal democracy. It is this attempt to reshape Afghan society into a mirror image of America that led to disaster.

Many Americans believe that legitimate government is one where the leaders are elected through free and fair competitive elections in which multiple political parties and candidates compete freely; where there is separation of powers between different arms of government (the executive, judiciary and legislature), where there are checks and balances, a free press and where the government delivers public goods and services to all citizens through impersonal institutions.

But this is a very western conception of governmental legitimacy. To believe that an ordinary Pashtun peasant in a village in Afghanistan holds such a belief is delusional and silly. This belief has evolved in the west over centuries of structural change and political struggle. A few elites in Kabul, educated in western philosophy, may hold these beliefs and espouse such ideas but only artificially. For most Afghans, the source of legitimacy are based on their inherited traditions and values, not western conceptions.

The American supported government in Kabul was seen by many afghans for what it really was â€" a puppet administration. Here liberalism collided with nationalism and nationalism won. There was also a religious dimension to this: Americans were seen as infidels in this deeply religious Muslim society. Attempts to promote gender rights and other associated changes in Afghan society were seen as external impositions, however morally appealing they may appear in the eyes and minds of western educated elites.

This is the context in which America has been defeated and humiliated. By 2010, America had 100,000 troops, its NATO allies about 36,000. They financed a government that was elected democratically, provided public goods and services and promoted a regime of political and social rights on the lines of Denmark. They also trained, armed and equipped 300,000 Afghanistan national army troops. This phalanx of steel with the most advanced attack planes, drones, helicopters, artillery and mortars faced off a Taliban insurgency of not more 75,000 poorly trained and equipped and not paid at all â€" and lost. Why?

The belief that elections bring legitimacy under all circumstances is misguided. For as long as the government in Kabul was foreign sponsored, promoting foreign ideas and creeds, it was bound never to find support among ordinary Afghans. And this is what defines the Taliban.

Who is the Taliban? He is a vendor in the street, a farmer in a garden, a trader in a market, a businessman in a shop, a civil servant in a government ministry, a priest in a mosque, a teacher in a school, a nurse in a hospital, a tribal chief in a village, a waiter in a restaurant, a policeman on guard, and yes, a soldier in the Afghanistan national army. To fight the Taliban was to fight Afghan society; and in that fight America had no chance.

Finally the western mindset cannot overcome its false assumptions. For example many are claiming that the Afghanistan government lacked legitimacy because it was corrupt. But there are many extremely corrupt governments around that world that have enjoyed long and stable careers â€" precisely because they were corrupt. In fact the most enduring “regimes” I know have been equally the most corrupt.

America’s imperial project in Afghanistan failed because it was essentially an attempt to turn Afghanistan into America. Afghans, a proud people, could not accept that.

]]> NRM SG Todwong meets party District Election Officers, calls for consistence, better service delivery  https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119529/nrm-sg-todwong-meets-party-district-election-officers-calls-for-consistence-better-service-delivery.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 15:56:04 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119529 The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Secretary General Richard Todwong on Wednesday met with the party District Election Officers (DEOs) at the party Electoral Commission head offices in Nakasero, Kampala.

Todwong reassured the DEOs of the party’s continuous support and commitment towards streamlining party activities from the top to the ground.

He also called for solidarity between the election officers and the Secretariat leadership to ensure consistence and better service delivery.

The Chairperson of the district registrars, Patrick Kamulindwa who also doubles as the Registrar for Kabarole applauded Todwong for accepting to meet and address them at such a short notice which he said was a sign of special recognition towards the group.

He also requested the NRM top leadership to consider them while implementing some government programs that focus on uplifting the welfare of Ugandans.

The meeting was also attended by NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr.Tanga Odoi, the Deputy National Treasurer Hon, Jacqueline Kyatuhaire and Counsel Oscar Kihika, the party director for Legal Affairs.

]]> Afghan Women no go Zone For Stingy Ugandan Men! Minister Warns as Netizens’ Excitement Reaches Boiling Point https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119526/afghan-women-no-go-zone-for-stingy-ugandan-men-minister-warns-as-netizens-excitement-reaches-boiling-point.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 14:44:50 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119526 Uganda has been gripped by excitement following reports of the impending arrival of over 2, 000 refugees from crisis-torn Afghanistan.

Early this week, the government announced that as many as 2, 000 refugees from Afghanistan were to seek refugee in the country, with the first batch of 500 expected as early as yesterday.

For the very first time in the recent past, Ugandans seem to strongly agree with the government’s move, with some appealing that some refugees from south Sudan be sent to to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to create room for more of their counterparts from Afghanistan.

Following the frenzy however, Hon Betty Amongi, the Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development had no kind words for specifically men with lamenting pockets and purses.

Although she seems appreciative of the cooperation exhibited by the majority of Ugandans, especially on the internet, the Minister, in her Wednesday tweet made her feelings known while saying she only hopes the men jumping up and down over the prospecting of having the refugee women are not particularly those from the stingy men’s Association.

“I have seen our Ugandan men praying forsake landing of Afghanistan refugees and sharing photos as bellow. They are promising total cooperation with government this time on this project! Hope it’s not Stingy men’s Association,” Amongi tweeted.

]]> Babalanda Anti Graft Fever Spills to USPC as Minister Grills Officials https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119520/babalanda-anti-graft-fever-spills-to-uspc-as-minister-grills-officials.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:30:07 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119520 As Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda continues bulldozing corrupt officials in her ministry, she has paid an impromptu visit to the offices of the Uganda Security Printing Company (USPC) at Kyadondo Road, Kampala. Watchdog has learned.

The Minister was accompanied by officials from the Office of the President and Kampala Central Division Residential City Commissioner (RCC) Hud Hussein.

Although content of the meeting is very scanty, it is reported that Babalanda, a key member of President Museveni’s “Fishermen” cabinet was at the Kyadondo based establishment’s offices as part of her ongoing operations to clean the Ministry as per her commitment to cleaning the image of the Presidency as per her take over speech in July.

The interaction which was purely closed to the media is reportedly part of a string of measures driven towards weeding out corruption, administrative inefficiencies, and poor service delivery from the office of the President.

The visit comes just a day after another one to Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) in Entebbe yesterday, where she suspended the Corporation’s Board of Directors and all procurement activities and asked officials implicated to return the stolen funds within five days or risk imprisonment if investigations find them culpable.

A fortnight ago, the Minister ordered for drastic changes in the management structures at the Uganda AIDS Commission which included scrapping some committees which were fattening expenses on one side while slowing decision making and implementation of the Commission’s programs.

In her July inaugural speech as Minister, Babalanda emphasized that she would use a zero-tolerance to corruption and inefficiency in executing her mandate.

]]> Uganda: Afghan refugees to stay in Namboole Stadium https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119516/uganda-afghan-refugees-to-stay-in-namboole-stadium.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:40:22 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119516 Afghan Refugees coming to Uganda will temporarily be hosted at Mandela National Stadium- Namboole, according to a source privy to the arrangement.

Although currently the national stadium is partially a Covid-19 treatment center, government is ready to use part of it to accommodate refugees from Afghanistan.

On Monday, State Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Esther Anyakun revealed that Uganda is set to receive 2,000 refugees from Afghanistan at Entebbe International Airport.

“Our team is ready at the airport, including the health team. Tonight we are expecting 500 Afghans,” she said. .

According to Anyakun, this was after the United States of America requested the East African country to host the refugees that are affected by the Taliban forces in Afghanistan. The Afghan nationals will temporarily be hosted for three months or longer with the emergency landing of the first batch expected in the country anytime.

Sources revealed that earlier announcement of the Afghan’s coming caused a crisis meeting which was called by senior government officials to find out details of a plan to host at least 2,000 fleeing Afghan nationals at the request of the United States.

It’s alleged that the minister was first to disclose the program to some media houses before all arrangements were put in place which causes confusion since it was revealed prematurely.

Over the weekend, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan and due to their brutality and enforcement of the Sharia law, local people started running for their lives and on Monday Kabul’s international airport was in the throes of chaos s desperate Afghans tried to flee on departing U.S. jets.

Video images from the airport on Monday showed people holding on to a military plane moving along the tarmac and appeared to show two objects or people fall off when the aircraft was hundreds of feet in the air. Pentagon officials acknowledged the video imagery but said they couldn’t yet confirm what had occurred, or if people had fallen from the plane. Commanders have begun an investigation into what happened on the tarmac, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said on Monday.

Witnesses separately reported seeing three bloodied bodies, including that of one woman, on the ground outside the passenger terminal building. Stranded travellers said those people had been shot.

]]> Police woo Men, Boys In Fight Against Gender Based Violence  https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119513/police-woo-men-boys-in-fight-against-gender-based-violence.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:01:58 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119513 Police’s Department of Child and Family Protection is conducting a male engagement dialogue in the districts of Arua, Kitgum, Kasese, Kyegegwa and Bundibugyo. The dialogue started on 16 th August, 2021 and will end on 18 th August, 2021.

According to SSP Atuhaire Maureen, the Acting Commissioner Child and Family Protection Department, these dialogues are to give men and boys a chance to rethink maleness and change the way they treat women, girls and each other which helps to improve their attitude towards relationship violence.

SSP Atuhaire says men and boys need help to become confident in being a man and to be able to express their masculinity in a positive way through care, love and respect.

“Achieving this is good for them and good for women and girls as well,” SSP Atuhaire says.

She says that violence can be prevented through promoting positive masculinity or manhood by encouraging men and boys to express a full range of emotions and feel validated, acknowledging that men can be vulnerable and seek help when necessary, treat people equally and respectfully, listen to and value women and girls and also serve as role models for their male peers.

The dialogue comes at a time when the police is registering so many cases relating to Gender Based Violence.

For example, the UPF Annual crime report of 2020 shows that 17,664 cases of Domestic Violence were reported to Police compared to 13,693 reported in 2019, giving a 29% increase.

Furthermore, a total of 14,134 cases of Defilement were reported to Police compared to 13,613 cases reported in 2019, giving an increase of 3.8%.

The prevalence, complexity and the social acceptance of Gender Based Violence has generated the recognition that its prevention and response requires broad community participation and particularly the participation of men and boys.

And according to SSP Atuhaire, it is for this reason that the National Male involvement strategy for the prevention and response to Gender Based Violence in Uganda, 2017, aims at engaging men and boys to become change agents in their communities and workplaces, promoting peace and security, mitigating conflicts, protecting the rights of women and girls, sensitizing their peers and ensuring victims/survivors receive appropriate services.

“UPF has the responsibility of ensuring that all people are treated respectfully and crimes against them are dealt with seriously regardless of gender. Positive masculinity in this case will emphasize the values of equality, respect and dignity for people of all gender identities. Sensitive handling of GBV crimes in particular contributes to a society where discrimination and GBV are not tolerated and where equality is possible,” she says.

Against the above background, the UN Women supported UPF to hold dialogues where male police officers will support and lead public awareness campaigns that challenge biases, stereotypes and instigate dialogue.

“This is geared towards promoting positive masculinity with the aim of eliminating all forms of gender discrimination and Violence Against Women and Girls both within the force and the public at large. Positive masculinity is when men use their physical and emotional strength to champion healthy behaviours in the community. The focus on positive masculinity is to help generations of men learn healthy behaviours and then develop more robust communities. It’s about displaying vulnerability, emotional intelligence and moral courage. Positive masculinity also means embracing femininity and not being ashamed of it,” notes SSP Atuhaire.

]]> Why Museveni refused to sign Sexual Offences and Succession bills into laws https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119511/why-museveni-refused-to-sign-sexual-offences-and-succession-bills-into-laws.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:27:26 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119511 Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among on Tuesday informed the House that President Yoweri Museveni refused to assent to the Sexual Offences and Succession bills saying the two bills had repetitions that are already provided for in other legislations.

In a letter dated 3rd August addressed to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah, President Museveni said that the Sexual Offences Bill needs to be reviewed to address the redundancies and repetitions in it.

The Sexual Offences Bill was tabled by former Kumi Woman MP Monica Amoding in 2015 and was before the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, which presented a report four years later on Wednesday, 13 February 2019.

Its aim was to come up with specific law on sexual offences that criminalizes unwelcome touch, patting, pinching or any other unsolicited physical contact and sexual comments.

The Bill also seeks to enhance punishment of sexual offenders; provide for the protection of victims during sexual offences trials; provide for extraterritorial application of the law and to repeal some provisions of the Penal Code Act.

On Monday, May 3, 2021, the 10th Parliament passed the Bill and it was sent to President Museveni to assent to it.

However, using the power given to him under Article 19 of the Constitution,  Museveni declined to append his signature on the Bill and sent it back citing a lot of queries about it or particulars in it as it was passed by the Parliament.

In his letter, President Museveni said; “I have received the Sexual Offences Bill 2021 for assent. However, the Bill needs to be reviewed because there are several provisions of Act that are already provided for in the legislation i.e. Section 2, 3, 5,6,7,9,10,12,13, 14,15,16,17,18,19,20 and 22. All the above offences are already provided for in the Penal Code Act Chapter 8 on the offences against morality.”

” I have been informed that Uganda Law Reform Commission had earlier carried out a comprehensive review on all criminal-related laws i.e the Penal Code Act, Magistrates Court Act, the Trial and Indictment Act |and] Evidence Act. Their proposed amendments were presented by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to the Legal and Parliamentary Committee of Parliament but were never considered. Instead of carrying out piecemeal amendments, the commission should be given, an opportunity to review all the criminal laws and propose comprehensive amendment of relevant laws for consideration of Parliament.”

On the Succession Bill, he also refused to assent to it on grounds that the bill as it was passed will cause a lot of trouble in families. In the bill, clause 14(c) talks about sharing property where a wife to deceased was given 80 percent, children 20 percent while the heir 1 percent.

However, President Museveni commented that the way the bill shares the wealth of the deceased will bring chaos to families.

“The above amendment will not only be unfair to dependent relatives but it will also create disharmony between the surviving spouse and the deceased’s relatives,” reads the letter. Adding that wife must be given 50 percent, children 47 percent and heir 1 percent.

As a way forward, Among referred the two Bills to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for reconsideration before a final decision is taken.

]]> NWSC Steps up service delivery in Kamwenge, Mityana, Mubende towns https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119506/nwsc-steps-up-service-delivery-in-kamwenge-mityana-mubende-towns.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:12:15 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119506 The National water and sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is working on a number of interventions to boost access to safe clean water in Mubende,Mityana and Kamwenge towns.

This was shared by the NWSC Board Chairman Eng. Dr. Badru. M. Kiggundu during a service assessment tour of the towns, by the NWSC Board.

NWSC Works in the towns include;

•NWSC Kamwenge area laid 127 kms of pipe in 201819, 86kms in 2019/20 and 15kms in 2020/21

•NWSC Mityana area laid 150kms of water mains under the Service Coverage acceleration programme

•Water extension to Tamu division in Mityana (This included the construction of a 162,000litres reservoir tank, a booster station, laying of a 12km pumping main, power extension to the booster station)

• Drilling of motorized borehole sets to provide an alternative water source in Mityana

•Feasibility studies of the Nakatongoli catchment witn an aim of improving water quality in Mityana

•Installed public water points in 132 villages out of 164 in Mityana.

“In addition to the above works, NWSC in partnership with Kamwenge stakeholders is working on a project to serve Rwamwanja Refugee settlement camp, Bigodi water project, Kitonzi and Kambambiro water projects in partnership with Water for People and Bishozi water supply improvement project in partnership with UNHCR,”Eng Kiggundu shared.

In Mityana, the completed interventions addressed the water supply challenges in Mityana Municipality.

]]> Ugandan men are excited to receive female refugees from Afghanistan- Minister Betty Amongi reveals https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20210818/119498/ugandan-men-are-excited-to-receive-female-refugees-from-afghanistan-minister-betty-amongi-reveals.html Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:57:08 +0000 https://www.watchdoguganda.com/?p=119498 The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi has sarcastically claimed that Ugandan men are excited and praying so hard for the safe landing of Afghan refugees specifically women.

In her Wednesday tweet, Amongi said Ugandan men are already promising government how they will fully support and cooperate with it to ensure the wellbeing of the refugees.

“I’ve seen our Ugandan men praying for safe landing of Afghanistan refugees, and sharing various photos of ladies. They are promising total support and cooperation with government this time on this project! Hope it’s not Stingy Men Association,” Amongi tweeted.

This week,Uganda took a decision to receive 2,000 refugees from Afghanistan.

This is after the United States of America requested the East African country to host the refugees that are affected by the Taliban forces in Afghanistan, according to the State Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Esther Anyakun.

“Our team is ready at the airport, including the health team. Tonight we are expecting 500 Afghans,” Anyakun said told New Vision newspaper on Monday.

However, by press time the teams were still at Entebbe International Airport waiting for the arrival of the Afghan refugees.

Anyakun later told the daily publication on Tuesday that the refugees will be hosted temporarily at the request of the United States government.

Vianney Luggya, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority public relations manager, the airport is always ready to receive whichever number of passengers comes in.

Andrew Nsawotebba, the health manager for test and fly, which is responsible for testing incoming passengers, said the refugees will not be subjected to the mandatory COVID-19 testing since Afghanistan is not listed among the category countries.

Kabul’s international airport was in the throes of chaos Monday as desperate Afghans tried to flee on departing U.S. jets, Taliban gunmen roamed the terminals, and U.S. troops killed at least two men, a sign of the disorder in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

U.S. troops on Monday flew helicopters low overhead, launched smoke grenades and fired into the air in an attempt to disperse crowds and gain control of the facility, where the U.S. is staging the evacuation of American personnel and thousands of Afghan interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. and now fear Taliban retribution.

At least eight Afghans were killed on Monday at the airport. In two incidents, armed men were shot and killed after approaching U.S. Marines. The U.S. troops weren’t injured and the armed men weren’t identified. Military officials said they couldn’t confirm whether the armed individuals were members of the Taliban.

Video images from the airport on Monday showed people holding on to a military plane moving along the tarmac and appeared to show two objects or people fall off when the aircraft was hundreds of feet in the air. Pentagon officials acknowledged the video imagery, but said they couldn’t yet confirm what had occurred, or if people had fallen from the plane. Commanders have begun an investigation into what happened on the tarmac, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said on Monday.

Witnesses separately reported seeing three bloodied bodies, including that of one woman, on the ground outside the passenger terminal building. Stranded travelers said those people had been shot.

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