The Ugandan foreign intelligence agency is investigating how an illicit casino was set up within the Ugandan Consulate in Dubai by diplomats representing the East African nation in the United Arab Emirates.

According to a recent article by the Ugandan publication The Daily Monitor, the External Security Organization (ESO) is also investigating how privately obtained gambling machines transported from Russia under diplomatic cover ended up at the Consulate Building.

Thomas Tayebwa, the deputy speaker of Uganda's parliament, declared last week that the circumstances were against UAE, international, and domestic law. He put pressure on the government to respond.

Not Quite So Diplomatic

Tayebwa worries that the misbehavior of diplomats may affect the two countries' bilateral relations and create problems for the 70,000 Ugandans who reside and work in the United Arab Emirates.

“Parliament pushed for this consulate to extend support and services to Ugandans who are thousands living in Dubai. Surprisingly, turning the consulate into a casino and a gambling house contravenes the laws of UAE, our laws and international laws governing diplomatic premises,” Nkunyingi said.

“As well, we want to know what disciplinary, diplomatic, and administrative steps have been undertaken to address this development,” he added.

The Monitor's investigation revealed that the gambling machines shipment was detained by Moscow customs officers prior to its departure from Russia due to a blatant mislabeling.

According to the inventory paperwork, it included "a big dining table, a small dining table, legs for tables, bar chairs, souvenirs, and decorative wheels."

Only until Mozes Kizige, Uganda's ambassador to Russia, intervened was the shipment allowed to continue. "They were not for industrial or commercial purposes," he reassured customs officers, adding that the products would only be "used exclusively for official needs by the embassy in order to perform functions under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations."

Every System Is Up

On October 20, 2023, the shipment landed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via Ethiopian Airlines after leaving Moscow. It was to be held for three months at the Dubai Consulate before being shipped to Uganda, where it was to be kept in a hotel owned by an unidentified government official.

However, the devices were "mounted and operated" by two Ugandan nationals for at least six months while they were housed at the consulate. The Monitor said that these people were designated as special envoys with diplomatic credentials.

According to the Monitor, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni learned of the operation and ordered the machines to be taken down, shutting down the activity.

In the United Arab Emirates, gambling has always been prohibited. That is, until last week, when the nation's newly established gaming commission authorized the first lottery license. This has given rise to rumors that the Emirates may soon legalize gaming.