The Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Hillary Onek says that a number of regional leaders have become intolerant to criticism and divergent views, a key reason why their countries are riddled with conflicts.
The UN World Food Programme WFP will receive USD 500,000 for food and nutrition support for refugees, while the UN Population Fund UNFPA will receive USD 500,000 for the provision of life-saving sexual and reproductive health services including emergency obstetrical and newborn care and response to gender-based violence.
The number of refugees fleeing the deadly Lendu-Hema conflict in Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of Congo--DRC has drastically reduced, according to United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUNHCR.
Hoima district disease surveillance officer Dr Fred Kugonza cautions that communities along the shores of Lake Albert in Hoima district are at a risk of contracting cholera. He pointed out the areas of Kigorobya, Kabwoya, Buseruka and Kyangwali where refugees have settled, among communities.
UNHCR says it is stretched in areas of health, water and sanitation and Hygiene Wash and nutrition. Rocco Nuri, a UNHCR officer working with Emergencies, says they are overwhelmed, adding that the situation will worsen unless they receive immediate support.
Teresa Ongalo, the Senior Regional Spokesperson UNHCR, says donors have indicated their decision to withhold funding until they are able to verify the number of refugees.
Douglas Asiimwe, the Principle Refugee Protection Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister told URN on phone that 26,900 Congolese refugees have arrived in the country from January this year from Ituri via Lake Albert while another 14,500 crossed from North Kivu to Kisoro and Kanungu districts through the porous borders.
The refugees, mainly ethnic Hema, Bagegere and Alur have entered into border areas like Dei and Panyimur in Pakwach District, Parombo, Goli and Angaba in Nebbi District, and Paidha and Padea in Zombo District.
Miyuki Yamashita who represented the WFP Country Director, during the launch of the direct buying program at Nambalee Sub county headquarter, said WFP has been buying food through tenders, which has been very competitive for most farmer organizations since they require high volumes of grain.
At least USD 135 million 488 billion Shillings of this was provided by the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR and multiple non-governmental organizations.
He singled out Moyo-Yumbe-Koboko road in the neighborhood of Bidi Bidi camp, which is home to home to 272,000 refugees in Yumbe district and Kabiingo-Rugaaga-Magabi-Rakai snaking through areas around Nakivale refugee settlement in Isingiro district.
Uganda is now the top refugee hosting country in Africa. The number of refugees from South Sudan alone is currently over 950,000. The country is also home to over 220 000 Congolese and over 37 000 Burundian refugees, as well as thousands from other countries in the region, such as Somalia.
With 512,968 refugees and asylum-seekers, Uganda has now become the 8th-largest refugee hosting country in the world and the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, according to UNHCRs annual Global Trends report that tracks forced displacement worldwide.
Professor Tarsis Kabwegyere, the Minister of General Duties in the office of the prime minister, believes the integration of the East African community will improve security in partner states, provide trade and business opportunities and thus address some of the causes of World crisis.
