Uganda’s foreign spy agency is investigating how diplomats at the Ugandan Consulate in Dubai managed to install an illegal casino within the consulate premises. The probe by the External Security Organization (ESO) has revealed that gambling machines were shipped from Russia under diplomatic cover and later set up inside the consulate building.
President Yoweri Museveni, upon learning about the illicit activities, swiftly ordered the operation to be halted. Details of the clandestine casino came to light in a report by The Daily Monitor, which indicated that Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, expressed deep concerns over the incident. Tayebwa emphasized that the actions of the diplomats undermined domestic, UAE, and international laws, potentially straining Uganda’s bilateral relations with the UAE. He called for immediate accountability, urging the government to elucidate the disciplinary, diplomatic, and administrative steps taken to address the violation.
The Daily Monitor’s investigation unveiled that the shipment from Russia, which included the gambling machines, was initially intercepted by Moscow customs officials due to its suspicious contents. Labeled as containing dining tables, bar chairs, souvenirs, and decorative items, the shipment was only released after Uganda’s ambassador to Russia, Mozes Kizige, vouched for its legitimacy. Kizige assured that the goods were for official diplomatic purposes, as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The consignment reached the UAE on October 20, 2023, via an Ethiopian Airline flight from Moscow. While originally slated to be stored at the Dubai Consulate for three months before being moved to a hotel in Uganda owned by an unnamed government official, the machines remained in the consulate for at least six months. During this period, they were operationalized by two Ugandan nationals holding diplomatic credentials.
The situation took a decisive turn when President Museveni ordered the immediate removal of the gambling machines, effectively ceasing the operation. This move comes amidst the UAE’s evolving stance on gambling, with recent developments hinting at potential legalization following the country’s approval of its first lottery license last week.
The scandal has not only sparked significant controversy but also poses a serious risk to the 70,000 Ugandans residing in the UAE, who could face repercussions from the diplomatic fallout. The Ugandan Parliament had initially pushed for the consulate to extend support to Ugandans in Dubai, making the transformation of the consulate into a hub for illegal gambling particularly egregious. Lawmakers, led by Tayebwa, are now seeking comprehensive answers and accountability measures to rectify and prevent a recurrence of such diplomatic misconduct.
