Congolese refugees escaping from camps

Hoima- Thousands of refugees in Kyangwali refugee camp in Hoima District have requested the government and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to repatriate them back to their home country.

Led by Mitooma District Woman MP Jovah K. Kamateeka, MPs on the parliamentary Human Rights Committee last week visited Kyangwali and learnt that some Congolese refugees were escaping from the camp to return to their country.

The Kyangwali deputy camp commandant, Mr Moses Bwajojo, said the refugees are being sensitised about not escaping but rather wait for orderly and organised repatriation after ascertaining it is safe for them to return home.

“We have so far registered 1,778 families that want spontaneous repatriation,” Mr Bwajojo said.

The chairperson of the refugee council in the camp, Mr John Bosco Kabera, said the refugees are convinced about returning home due to messages they receive from their relatives and radios stations in Eastern DR Congo claiming there is relative peace in their motherland.

“Government has given us land to settle and grow crops. We have harvested but we have health challenges. There are inadequate drugs at Kyangwali Health Centre III where we scramble for medical care together with nationals,” Mr Kabera said.

In an attempt to improve on the refugees’ health care, Think Humanity, an NGO recently donated more than 3,000 mosquito nets to mainly women and children in the refugee camp.

“Most of these people were displaced due to war. Malaria accounts for almost 50 per cent of our patients at the Think Humanity Health Centre in Kyangwali,” the Think Humanity Director of programmes, Mr Emmanuel Nsabimaana, said.

[email protected]