UGANDA: UNHCR start moving Kenyan refugees to camp away from the border in neigbouring Uganda

Record ID: 1534410

  • Title: UGANDA: UNHCR start moving Kenyan refugees to camp away from the border in neigbouring Uganda
  • Date: 24th January 2008
  • Summary: (BN16) BUSIA, UGANDA (JANUARY23, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF REFUGEES PREPARING BREAKFAST VARIOUS OF CHILDREN BEING FED BREAKFAST REFUGEES PACKING THEIR BELONGINGS YOUNG BOYS BRINGING IN MATTRESSES (SOUNDBITE) (Swahili) KENYAN REFUGEE, FRANCIS WAIHENYA SAYING: "We would also request the international community to join in the efforts for peace as we all require it back home. Peace will also enable us to go back as we cannot sustain ourselves here as refugees." REFUGEES QUEUEING TO BOARD BUS MORE REFUGEES LINING UP REFUGEES GETTING TAGGED ON HAND MOTHER HOLDING BABY (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNHCR EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICER, ROBERTA ROSSI SAYING: "Its not safe for refugees to stay close to the border, that's why we want to relocate them from the border 45 kilometers; also the refugees are at a school and it's going to be opened very soon here in Uganda." BUS LEAVING WITH REFUGEES TO NEW CAMP
  • Embargoed: 8th February 2008 15:04
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uganda
  • Country: Uganda
  • Topics: International Relations,Social Services / Welfare
  • Reuters ID: LVA27VGT3F6N2M864991FH8TLAYU
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The first convoy of 3 buses carrying 240 Kenyan refugees left the border area of Busia in Uganda on Wednesday morning to a new temporary camp 45 kilometers away.
    The UNHCR - together with the Ugandan authorities - started transporting recently-arrived Kenyan refugees away from the border areas of Uganda on Wednesday (January 23).
    They plan to move in the next five days up to 6,000 Kenyan refugees from three border locations - Malaba, Busia and Lwakhakha - to Mulanda transit centre some 35 kilometres inside Uganda.
    According to the Ugandan local authorities, there are presently more than 6,500 Kenyan refugees in the country. Most of them are staying with local people. Some of the Kenyan refugees are also accommodated in schools in Busia and Malaba.
    There are no reports of large-scale new arrivals from Kenya since Sunday.
    According to Francis Waihenya, a refugee, there is more the international community can do to assist.

    "We would also request the international community to join in the efforts for peace as we all require it back home. Peace will also enable us to go back as we cannot sustain ourselves here as refugees," said Waihenya.
    According to External Relations Officer Roberta Rossi, the UNHCR is currently working at the Mulanda transit centre in order to increase reception capacities. About 500 tents there will shelter newly arrived Kenyan refugees.

    "Its not safe for refugees to stay close to the border, that's why we want to relocate them from the border 45 kilometers; also the refugees are at a school and it's going to be opened very soon here in Uganda," said Rossi.
    The UNHCR is also equipping the already existing Mulanda health centre with additional supplies and staff. Other partners and the Ugandan Red Cross are working on water and sanitation, as well as on providing food, mattresses, stoves and kitchen sets.
    Kenyan refugees will be hosted at Mulanda transit centre for several weeks. The length of their stay there will depend on developments in Kenya.
    In case the situation will not allow for voluntary repatriation to Kenya in the foreseeable future, refugees will be offered the possibility to move to the established refugee settlements in western Uganda, where they can receive adequate accommodation and assistance on a long term basis.
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