In Whose Interests Are The US Sanctions Issued?

Over the past years, The US has sanctioned several African leaders, with the latest on the Rwandan military, but the most important question is, in whose interest are these sanctions issued?
In early 2023, the Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons, Mr. Johnson Byabashaija, was sanctioned by the United States. Several other African leaders have been sanctioned, along with other Ugandans, on the list as well. The speaker of parliament, Rt Hon Anita Annet Among, Former deputy CDF Peter Elwelu, Justice Moses Mukiibi, Wilson Musalu Musenene, lawyers Dorah Mirembe, Patrick Ecobu, among others. Some of the sanctioned leaders are insignificant, but what’s behind these sanctions?
A source at one of the top Non-Governmental Organisations in Kampala informed this blog that most of these sanctions are lobbied by US-funded NGOs that serve The US’ interests. Nicholas Opio, founder and owner of Chapter4 Uganda, an LGBTQ advocacy NGO, was allegedly cited as one of those prominent individuals who had this arm under the Biden regime.
For the Commissioner General of Prisons, it is understood that his sanctions originated from a time when LGBTQ Ugandans were sent to Luzira during COVID times and had to be strip-searched, which is within the Nelson Mandela rules on minimum standards of human treatment of prisoners before entering prison, just like any other inmates, which Nicholas Opio considered a violation of their human rights. The COVID restrictions on visiting prisoners, which were for the prisoners’ benefit, not to get infected, were also considered a violation of human rights, which is strange considering the fact that the entire country was under lockdown. Please note that Joe Biden’s regime was pro LGBTQ, hence the sanctions that came in handy after lobbying by some Ugandan NGO owners that were pro LGBTQ AND SERVING THE WEST’s interests.
This came as a shocker to many for a man who is known to have effected the most changes in the prison system to uphold the human rights of prisoners in Uganda. Before he became the Commissioner General, the word prison was an abomination in Uganda; it was thought to be a place of death, but currently, we have people who are even willing to commit crimes and serve their sentences because it is no longer the feared place that people used to know.
What reforms has he effected under his leadership?
Open Door policy. All human rights non-governmental organizations and the Human Rights Commission are granted full access to all prisons in Uganda to check on any violations of prisoners’ rights. This is a case unique to Uganda. A few countries all over the world have put this into effect.
The Visiting Justices were introduced in the prison system. These are members of the particular district in which the prison is located who form committees from the district leadership and are allowed to visit the prisons to check on prisoners’ well-being. The Uganda prisons leadership under Byabashaija also introduced inmate uniforms that never used to exist and labelled prison warden uniforms with both names and prison numbers. This would ensure that if a prison warden/guard violates the rights of an inmate, it becomes easier to report to the authorities, and they are consequently punished according to the prison’s standing orders. This shows how much commitment the Uganda prisons has when it comes to solving the question on human rights.
The US sanctions on African leaders, like Uganda’s Prisons Commissioner General Johnson Byabashaija, raise concerns about serving external interests. These sanctions may be driven by US-funded NGOs pushing specific agendas (e.g., LGBTQ+ rights) rather than genuine human rights promotion.
African leaders should evaluate these sanctions critically, prioritize sovereignty, and engage with the US to address unfair sanctions. The international community should ensure sanctions promote transparency, fairness, and human rights, not external influence. Byabashaija’s prison reforms show commitment to human rights; let’s support transparency and fairness.