Otunnu forgives Museveni gov’t over passport denial that left him stateless

What the report says

Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Olara Otunnu says he has forgiven the Ugandan government over years of treatment he says left him stateless after authorities allegedly declined to renew his Ugandan passport. In comments reported by Uganda Radio Network and published by The Independent Uganda on August 6, 2026, Otunnu said he no longer wants to dwell on that period and has chosen to focus on Uganda’s backing of his candidacy for UN secretary-general.

The report says the change in tone follows President Yoweri Museveni’s public endorsement of Otunnu’s bid to replace António Guterres, a notable shift for a man who was long among Museveni’s most vocal critics. Otunnu said the country should now rally around the possibility of producing the next UN chief, describing the campaign as a national rather than personal matter.

Otunnu also outlined why he believes he is qualified for the post, citing decades of service in senior UN roles, including at the Security Council, the Human Rights Commission and the office dealing with children and armed conflict. He said the next secretary-general should actively engage major powers and push diplomacy to reduce conflicts in places such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The article places Otunnu among seven candidates for the UN role and notes his previous work in Uganda and the opposition. It adds background that Museveni’s support and Otunnu’s remarks mark a significant easing of a long and bitter political relationship.