The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Isingiro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has transferred 1,000 Congolese refugees from the Nyakabande transit site in Kisoro district to Nakivale refugees camp in Isingiro.
The refugees fled Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Rutshuru territory last month after heavy fighting between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels and Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) soldiers.
Douglas Asiimwe, the Acting Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister says that on Thursday, 1,000 refugees out of 16,475 had been transferred to Nakivale refugee camp. Asiimwe explains that due to the high number of refugees, they have opted to transfer them to Nakivale due to limited space at Nyakabande.
According to Asiimwe, Nkakabande transit centre has a capacity to host 20,000 refugees.
Abel Niwamanya, Uganda Red Cross Society team leader at Nyakabande refugee transit centre says that transferring the refugees to Nakivale camp is welcome because the influx at Nyakabande had caused a water crisis putting the lives of the refugees at risk.
Niyonzima Semajeri, a resident of Mukingo, and Rikie Mutumbo, a resident of Kinyamahura in Rutshuru territory, all refugees who have been living at Nyakabande transit centre say that they have no problem being transferred to Nakivale refugees camp because they are tired of spending the nights in the cold.
They say that they rather remain in Uganda where there is an assurance of peace.
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The East African Community should build a joint military army to encounter the problem of insecurity in the war-torn East African member countries.