More refugees to enter Uganda- Ecweru

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More refugees are expected to enter Uganda following fresh tribal clashes between the lendu and the Bagegere in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Musa Ecweru, the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and refugees said they have received information from their counterparts in DRC that fresh tribal clashes between the lendu and Bagegere erupted at the beginning of this week in Ituri province adding that thousands had started fleeing the area.

According to Ecweru, there is a possibility that thousands of the Congolese Nationals could cross to Uganda through Lake Albert in the districts of Hoima, Kikuube, Ntoroko and Kagadi.

He says that the government has set up a stand by team that will receive the refugees at all the gazetted reception centres including Kaiso, Sebigoro, Nkondo, Bugoma, Ndaiga,Kitebere and Mpondwe in Hoima, Kikuube, Kagadi, Ntoroko and Kasese districts.

Mahoua, Parums, the Deputy Country Representative United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees-UNHCR, says they are already prepared to receive and handle the refugees adding that all is set to ensure that both Ugandans and the Congolese are safe.

According to Parums, at Kyangwali settlement area, 45 to 50 Congolese refugees are received on daily. She adds that since January they have received more than 18,000 Congolese refugees.

Since December 2018, there has been huge influx of Congolese nationals that crossed the country through Lake Albert. It is estimated that more than 18,000 Congolese refugees crossed to Uganda since December 2018.

The 2019 Refugee Response Plan for Uganda is asking for $1.03 billion for humanitarian aid, but only $147 million for humanitarian programmes has been funded to date. Previous funding shortages in Uganda have led to the closure of life-saving programmes.

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