| May 2002 US Probes Ugandan Passports. By Henry Gombya in Boston and Milton Olupot in Kampala UNITED States Police in Boston are investigating a mystery of two Ugandan women who have the same name (Annette Nakalema Kironde), same birth date, and were issued passports bearing the same number, although one Nakalema lost hers. Nakelema (of Kampala) recently flew to the US to ascertain whether she really has a double, now resident in America. Nakalema (of Boston), who has acquired a Green Card (permanent residence in America) is also known as Cissy Namyalo, by friends in America and Uganda. Nakalema (of Kampala) says Kironde is her husband's name while Nakalema of Boston says Kironde is her father's name. In Buganda, it is difficult for a Kironde to be father to a Nakalema as the two are of two different clans. Kironde is of the Nsenene (Grasshoppers) Clan while Nakalemas are from the Mpologoma (Lion) Clan. Incidentally, the Boston Nakalema, who says her father is Kironde, is married to a one Ssewannyana who is also from from her father's nsenene clan. Intra-clan marriages are not permitted in Buganda. Nakalema (Boston) was on Thursday summoned by US Police in Waltham, Massachussetts, to help them unravel the mystery. But her lawyers responded instead and said their client was not going to meet police because she had not committeed any felony on American soil. Both Nakalemas say they were born on August 10, 1962. Each of them was issued with passport No. B151693, in Kampala on May 29, 1997. However, Nakalema (Kampala) was attacked on July 3, 1997 and her passport, which had multiple entry US visa, was stolen at gunpoint. Nakalema (Boston) left Uganda with her passport bearing the same number on August 2, 1997, via Tanzania. She first tried to leave through Entebbe but officials queried her identity, since Nakalema (Kampala) is well known at the airport, being a tour operator. The Boston Nakalema was left to go with the passport, which the US government has since endorsed with the green card The Boston Police said it was premature for them to comment on investigations. The Uganda Police Criminial Investigation Department Chief, Elizabeth Kutesa, on Friday confirmed that the matter is with the Police. She said it was only one of the thousands of passport fraud cases under investigation, and declined to discuss the details. "I wouldn't like to be drawn to discuss these cases individually because it may jeopardize our investigations. What I can say is that we have been following it since last May". "It is a big racket, and they are right here. Lots of things are going on which I wouldn't be comfortable revealing now, but I don't think it will take many months from now before we get on them," she said. A Uganda Police Special Branch officer has already flown to Boston to help the Americans with the probe. |
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