Uganda is preparing to receive hundreds of refugees from Israel, State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness Muss Ecweru announced at Uganda Media Centre on Friday.
“Uganda accepted the 500 refugees from people from Israel and this is not a problem to Uganda. We already have millions of refugees in Uganda from Somalia, Ethiopia so the few from Israel won’t be a problem to Uganda as a third party country,” said Ecweru adding;“ In view of the above the State of Israel working with other refugees’ managing organisations has requested Uganda to allow about 500 Eritreans and Sudanese refugees to relocate to Uganda. The Government & Ministry are positively considering the request.”
The Minister denied that the refugees are not in Uganda, “Circumstances in countries like Eritrea and Israel etc force their governments to send refugees to foreign countries. A boy was brought to me and he gave a testimony why he asked to leave his country and come to Uganda. I was surprised but Uganda is a home away from home.”
Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo added that, “Some refugees come to Uganda in search for their families. The reason some of these refugees come is because there’s a general perception that they have kin that will welcome them warmly.”
The governments of Uganda and Israel have on several occasions denied accusations that Israel plans to deport illegal immigrants to East Africa.
