{{The Head of the European Union Delegation in Uganda is leaving the country prematurely, weeks after his public criticism of President Museveni’s perceived succession plan stirred uproar, compelling government to summon him and seek an explanation.}}
According to diplomatic sources, Mr Roberto Ridolfi, who had said Uganda was not a monarchy for the President to hand over power to his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, will leave in October instead of December 2013, when his three-year tenure was due to lapse.
Diplomatic sources indicate that Mr Ridolfi has been redeployed after his position became untenable when he was summoned and grilled by the Kampala authorities, following his stinging criticism of President Museveni’s State-of-the-Nation Address in June.
The government reportedly also filed a protest note to EU authorities in Brussels sources said.
Mr Ridolfi will now become the director for cooperation at the EU Commission’s Development and Cooperation directorate-general, responsible for developing policies and delivering European aid across the world.
He is reportedly out of the country on holiday and Mr Simon Kasyate, EU’s press and information officer in Kampala, would neither confirm nor deny his imminent departure.
Asked if the envoy was leaving over his June fall-out with government, Mr Kasyate said: “EU ambassadors take three to four years during tour of duty in any country.
Ridolfi’s exit is within the end of his tenure, and all I can say is that relations between the EU and government of Uganda haven’t been any better than under him.”
{wirestory}
Leave a Reply