South Sudan’s refugees fleeing into Uganda

KAMPALA: Uganda expects the number of South Sudanese refugees in the country to soar to 1.2 million by the end of the year.

Uganda already hosts more than 800 000 refugees from the neighbouring country, and 400 000 more are expected to arrive this year, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said this week.

In addition to the 800 000 South Sudanese, Uganda hosts about 400 000 refugees from countries including Somalia, Burundi, Congo, Kenya and Rwanda.

“The… numbers are placing a huge strain on our already stressed ability to cater for the food, water, sanitation, health and education needs of the refugees and the host communities,” Rugunda said.

The East African country will host an international summit on refugees in June, the premier said, appealing to donors to fund Uganda’s refugee programme with $8 billion (R103bn)over the next four years.

South Sudan was plunged into a military conflict when a split between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar escalated in December 2013. Tens of thousands have been killed and 3.5 million displaced.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that the scale of the refugee crisis in Uganda is extraordinary, with average daily arrivals of over 2 000 people, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

“The country now hosts the largest refugee population in Africa – over 1.2 million people, with 74% from South Sudan,” Dujarric said.

“The number of refugees WFP assists has more than doubled in the last year, and the agency’s operation is under considerable strain to meet their full food needs,” he said.

The WFP has a shortfall of $60 million from May until October this year, he said.

South Sudan has become the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis with more than 1.8 million refugees having sought safety in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.

The UN refugee agency said the rate of people fleeing South Sudan had exceeded the humanitarian community’s estimates. For example the number of people fleeing to Sudan in March surpassed the expected figure for the year.

HOMELESS: Children collect water at one of the water tanks in the Palorinya refugee settlement. MSF delivers an average of 2 million litres per day from the Albert Nile River, which is delivered to tanks throughout the settlements by water trucks...

URGENT ATTENTION: Water pumps at MSF’s water treatment plant in Palorinya refugee settlement, northern Uganda pump out an average of 2 million litres per day from the Albert Nile River, which is delivered to tanks throughout the settlements by water...

DESPERATE: A water truck is stuck in the mud in Palorinya refugee camp, Uganda. People take the opportunity to get much needed water when a water truck gets stuck in the mud after heavy rains. The impending rainy season will only make the situation...

ON THE MOVE: A refugee from Kajo Keju, South Sudan sits with her suitcase in Palorinya refugee camp, Uganda. Thousands have fled here from neighbouring South Sudan after fighting erupted, bringing only what they could carry.

NUTRITION: A woman cooks posho (maize flour) on an open fire in a settlement within Palorinya refugee camp. Food is scarce as rations are not regularly distributed in parts of the camp so people eat what they can.

CAMPSITE: Esther Juru, left, with her extended family including her elderly mother, far right, is a refugee from Kajo Keji in South Sudan. She fled over the border to Uganda after fighting erupted in her home town.