Over 70 refugees camped at UNHCR offices

Mar 27, 2019

“We all come from one settlement (Nakivaale refugee settlement) but the problem is that we no longer get enough food as compared to the families we have,” one of the refugees says.

REFUGEES

 

Over 70 refugees from Nakivaale Refugee Settlement are still camping at the head offices of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kampala over insufficient food rations.

 

They also complain of lack of basic services such as proper medical services, safe water and shelter.

 

"We all come from one settlement (Nakivaale refugee settlement) but the problem is that we no longer get enough food as compared to the families we have," one of the refugees says as police intervenes.

 

The group says they are Somali nationals.  They say the leadership at Nakivaale is not fair to them.

Some of the refugees at the UNHCR offices. (Photo by David Lukiiza)

 

 

"The shelters we sleep in are also leaking only that it is not a rainy season," another refugee says as she vows not to leave UNHCR premises.

 

"Look at my children, they are all in bad state; we have not eaten for three days now all we need is help," another refugee with three children says.

 

Another refugee, Sadi Muhizi says he has terrible stomach ache.

 

"I have been having serious pains for a year now; they prescribed Panadol for me which cannot do a lot,"  

 

This is the second day refugees from Somalia are camping at the UNHCR offices in Kampala.

 

UNHCR responds

 

Aslam Duniya the communications officer at UNHCR, Kampala says this is not the first time refugees are camping at the UNHCR offices.

 

"They have been coming here however, we cannot accommodate all of them here as you can see. We have advised them to go to Inter-Aid or World Food Programme offices for help," says Duniya.

 

Duniya adds that the problem many of the refugees face is that when they decide to leave on their own outside the settlement, life becomes harder for them and at that point we cannot do much.

 

"When they decide to leave on their own it ceases to be our responsibility because we believe they are capable of meeting all their needs," she adds.

 

Duniya says they have heard of cases of corruption within the settlement however they have encouraged them to report directly to the head offices through a toll free line 0800323232.