When cessation clause deadline which ended refugee status for the Rwandans who fled the country from 1959 to 1998 comes into force on December 31, 2018, Uganda announced it would not end the refugee status for over ‘14000’ Rwandan refugees who live there, revealing that it had started the processes of offering them citizenship.
However, last week, Uganda’s Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees Hillary Onek told lawmakers of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Kampala that Uganda was considering canceling their refugee status and instead issuing them with temporary permits.
“We are going to turn them over to the immigration department so that their long stay in Uganda will be subjected to immigration laws because immigration laws in Uganda say that you are given a visa to stay for three months. Thereafter you have to justify your further stay in a country,” Mr. Onek said as quoted by Daily Monitor.
Exclusively speaking to IGIHE, the Director of Refugee Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Emergency Management, Jean Claude Rwahama said Uganda’s decision is commendable as there is no ample reason Rwandans should live as refugees.
“We had discussed canceling the refugee status for Rwandans in Uganda and our diplomats carried out several visits to Uganda sharing refugees with information on their country. We actually thought Uganda was among countries that would have canceled refugee status but it didn’t go the way we expected. Canceling Rwandan refugee status is a commendable step because there is no reason for any Rwandan to live as a refugee as Rwanda is peaceful,” Rwahama said.
Rwahama says in case Uganda’s decision is implemented, Rwandan refugees will benefit most.
“When they repatriate, Rwandan refugees will enjoy more freedom because Rwandans usually travel to Uganda using only Identity cards which is impossible for refugees. This will give them rights to travel from Rwanda to Uganda vice versa more easily,” he said.
Rwahama said Rwandan refugees will be warmly welcomed as it is done for other nationals coming back to their mother nation.
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