The ambassador of China to Uganda H.E Zheng Zhuqiang says that the government of China is taking steps to address concerns of harrassment and mistreatment of Ugandan nationals in  China. This was during a meeting held with the Minister of foreign affairs, Sam Kuteesa.

The press statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today (11th April 2020) says:

”The Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Sam Kutesa today Saturday 11th April 2020 met with the Ambassador of China to Uganda His Excellency Zheng Zhuqiang on the matter regarding situation of Ugandans in China.

The Minister conveyed the serious concern of the Government of Uganda on the harassment and mistreatment of its nationals. He called on Government of China to urgently intervene and address the plight of Ugandans in China.

The Ambassador assured the Minister that China values its relationship with Uganda and other African countries. He said that the Government was taking steps to address the matter and undertook to take the concerns of the Government of Uganda with the relevant authorities in China”.

The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Amb Patrick Mugoya and Uganda’s Ambassador to China, Dr Crispus Kiyonga. The meeting follows Ugandan voices requesting the Uganda government to look into the matter of bringing back home Ugandans who were caught up in China by the lock down.

There have been reports of segregation by Chinese nationals where Africans have been denied essential services targeting them as carriers of the Covi-19 disease.

There have been serious reports on most media channels including government owned Bukedde TV about the harassment of not only Ugandans but all Africans who are still in China. According to some Ugandans who are still stuck in China, the Chinese people threaten Africans and at times chase them away from public places including trains and buses.

Some Ugandans have reported that they were thrown out of the residential units without clear reasons. In the southern Chinese city of Guangzou, Africans have been evicted from their homes by landlords. Africans are turned away from accommodation units including history.

We have also been reliably informed that there are “unconfirmed reports” that blacks were targets for Corona Virus Vaccination tests. Africans have also been targets for random testing for Covid-19, arbitrary quarantines and mass coronavirus testing as the country tries to step up their fight against imported infections.

The CNN has interviewed several Africans who have also reported the same treatment from the Chinese.

There is an unknown number of Ugandans studying or working in China. There is an estimated 800 Ugandan students in China, with 105 students in Wuhan, a city most affected by the virus outbreak.