KAMPALA —The US government has commended Uganda’s strictness in containing Coronavirus outbreak that is currently ravaging several Countries including China, US, Italy and Egypt.
“We thank Uganda’s government for protecting us from Coronavirus and we respect the rules on self-quarantine,” the US Embassy in Kampala said in a picture released on their official social media pages showing it’s top officials in self quarantine.
The Embassy confirmed that its deputy Chief of Mission in Uganda, Christopher Krafft was compelled to self-quarantine for 14 days after his return from Germany, following rules released by Uganda’s Ministry of Health.
“Our Chargé d’Affaires returned Saturday from a conference in Germany. The Ministry of Health asked him to self-quarantine for 14 days,” the Ministry said.
Mr. Krafft who is under self quarantine previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka, Zambia (2016-2019).
Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said any travelers from these high risk countries, including Germany, will be subjected to self-quarantine for 14 days on arrival to Uganda even if they do not exhibit symptoms of COVID-19.
The Minister said all travellers from the rest of the world are supposed to undergo the routine screening upon arrival and be advised accordingly on the measures to undertake while in country to prevent infection and where to report if not feeling well.
Who is Mr. Krafft
Krafft assumed his current assignment as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, Uganda in September, 2019.
Since January, 2020, he has served as the Chargé d’Affaires, leading the more than 550 American and Ugandan staff of the U.S. mission and the administration of over $970 million in annual programming, with an operating budget of more than $30 million per year.
Mr. Krafft previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka, Zambia (2016-2019).
Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director of the State Department’s Office of Central African Affairs (2013-2016), where he was responsible for oversight of U.S. policy towards and relations with ten countries in the central African region, as Deputy Director of the Office of International Security Operations, Political-Military Affairs Bureau (2010-2012), as Political Advisor to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Iraq (2009-2010), and as Deputy Political Counselor at the United States Embassy in Ankara, Turkey (2006-2009).
He also served as a Congressional Fellow in the office of Senator Olympia Snowe (2004-2005), advising the Senator on issues related to national security policy and intelligence matters.
Mr. Krafft’s other overseas postings have included assignments as a Political Officer in Pretoria, South Africa; as Special Assistant to the Ambassador in New Delhi, India; and as Vice Consul in Bern, Switzerland as well as domestic assignments as Country Desk Officer for South Africa, for Burma/Laos, and as Country Desk Officer for Ireland/Northern Ireland and Advisor to the Special Envoy for the Northern Ireland Peace Process.
Before joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Krafft was an Assistant Director of the Washington, DC office of the Governor of the State of Illinois and a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Mr. Krafft is a 2013 graduate of the National War College with a master’s degree in National Security Strategy and graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations.
He and his wife Mary have two sons.