Date: January 16th, 2018

Ref: Pub/Ad/02/01/2018

Press release on the ongoing verification of refugees in Kampala - Uganda by the Office of the Prime Minister Department of Refuges (OPM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR Uganda

The verification of refugees in one among the obligations of the UNHCR under international refugee law and it aims at two major priorities: “To know the exact numbers of refugees in order to help humanitarian aid relief agencies to plan and to identify refugee cases which need urgent attentions from aid agencies”. We all would like to see this being achieved within that spirit of the law, actually here in Kampala the exercise delayed so much and many refugee identity cards had expired and this had caused some kind of unrest among refugees within their communities.

However as an organization which has observed how the work is being done we have number of concerns which should be addressed before the end of this exercise in March 2018 so that all refugees do benefit and so we can also see the impact of the donors money invested in this exercise.

  1. On the statistics of refugees in order to plan: We are so disappointed that this is the third verification exercise which is being done and no plan has ever been developed in order to address refugees challenges here in Kampala, refugees in their communities are confronted with the same problems they had since 2008 when we have the first verification, we are not yet sure how different is this one. But also the last statistics of UNHCR of 2017 indicate that there are 93,700 refugees in Kampala alone and among 70% are children and women, so at least those ones are known but so far we do not have a singleprogramme or activity targeting their needs or programs which are friendly to women and children. To many observers this verification is more of a normal routine but not aiming at planning and yet it will consume donors’ money.
  2. On the vulnerable cases: The verification tools which are being used according to refugees we spoke to do not capture the needs of refugees, as it is only limited to the general identity of the refugee and because of that cases which should have been identified for assistance may not be known and once again this verification in loosing its meaning to refugees much as it is a good tool to justify donors money. It appears that the verification is aiming at accountability for the money to donors only.
  3. Exclusion:The verification of refugees is so far exclusive and only limited to a certain category of refugees especially those who can manage to get the information and those who can easily come to Old Kampala Secondary School where it is being conducted from. The only strategy used by both OPM and UNHCR to inform the refugees about the verification programmes is by OPM Notice Board where refugees could get it on the notice board and share it with their friends especially those who use Whatsup. There are so many refugees who do not use whatsup, and many are living here in Kampala in different isolated areas, we have the most vulnerable cases of refugees who do not even use a phone, on top of that there are many refugees either children living alone, vulnerable women and other vulnerable social groups who will not manage to get transport money up to Old Kampala and they will be forced to stay home.
  4. The involvement of refugees leaders: While a meeting was organized by both OPM and UNHCR on Thursday last week in order to brief them about the exercise, it mostly focused on recruiting those who will help during the verification, those who attended were not necessary refugee leaders and there were so many refugees who were not represented in the meeting, such as Sudanese, South Sudanese, Somalis and Ethiopians and that may highly affect the verification process.
  5. Refugees who do not come to any of these refugee agencies: A period of three months has been said to those who may come late but, in actual sense there are so many refugees who lost hope in these refugee agencies long time ago and they live on their own, so even after that period they will not know and they will not come for the verification but we have observed that some have been penalized when they come for any services they are asked mainly marriage or resettlement and some were denied to start resettlement process since 2014 up to now just because they were not verified previously.
  6. Exploitation of refugee interpreters and refugee leaders who are involved:In the meeting they had with OPM last week, they were told that they should be paid 20,000 UgSh per day and this is too small and it is done on ground because refugees are already vulnerable and cannot bargain for the a fair pay, unfortunately the same agencies mandated to promote the refugee rights are the ones exploiting them as cheap labour,
  7. Allegations of other unknown peoplewho are being seen to be prepared to be identified as Congolese refugees in order to increase the number. Unconfirmed and consistent rumours have been circulating among the Congolese refugees that Karamojong people in different parts of Katwe have been mobilized, taught Kiswahili and distributed Congolese particular clothes in order to appear as Congolese refugees,
  8. The current confusing situation surrounding the Rwandan refugeesin Uganda and the failure of the refugee actors in Uganda to clearly communicate with Rwandan and assure them about their safety in Uganda will not encourage Rwandans refugees to come and make the verification. But also the issue of the safety of the information of refugees especially those who have concerns about their security,

Our recommendations

  1. Due to the already existing facilities in different refugee host communities own by both refugees and the host communities such as churches, organizations, refugee initiatives both OPM and UNHCR should consider to shift and carry out the verification from different refugee host communities,
  1. Due to the lack of information, we recommend that the best way to inform refugees about the verification is through community meetings, and other community fields activities, especially targeting those who are mostly forgotten in isolated areas and this is possible through the existing refugee structures,
  1. To employ and well paid community leaders in different places for the mobilization and information sharing, but also to map for the key places for the verification,
  1. Strong information sessions targeting Rwandan Refugees in Uganda and now in Kampala so that they can come up freely and do the verification,
  1. Both UNHCR and OPM should consider involving refugee communities at the very initial stages of preparations on their activities,
  1. The donor community should ensure that the money given to refugee agencies is used in an effective manner for the interest of refugees and therefore they should interactions between donors and refugees in their communities,
  1. Both UNHCR and OPM have to put programs on ground which benefit refugees so that the verification can still have its meaning,
  1. Both UNHCR and OPM investigate all allegations and the payment issues of refugee interpreters and refugee community leaders involved in the verification in order to ensure that they fairly paid,

Done in Kampala

KulihoshiMusikami Pecos

Executive Director