As the political season begins to gain
momentum, refugee communities in Arua and other districts in the West Nile region have been warned
against indulging in any form of politicking.
Solomon
Osakan the Refugee Desk Officer Office of Prime Minister West Nile based in
Arua cautions the refugees against mixing up with the Ugandan law and involving
themselves in politics.
///Cue in: // at the last half of this year
………………….
Cue out:……………………….mixed up in the law//
Francis Ayume the Executive
Director Refugee Empowerment and Development Network which seeks to empower refugees in both the camps and urban centers said they have continued to
sensitize the refugees on their roles and responsibilities but sometimes some Ugandan
nationals influence them to act contrary to the law.
///Cue in: "We don’t want to see, ………………….
Cue out:……………………….protect your own name//
Umar Farouk Erabo the coordinator for
Congolese Refugees in Arua City said they have warned their members to keep off
politics and concentrate on business in Uganda.
//// Cue in:"politics I don’t want, ………………….
Cue out:……………………….I tell them every day//
Due
to the prevailing social opportunities in the towns of W. Nile, most refugees
have opted to move and stay in the urban areas and there are fears that they
could easily be influenced by political actors.
West Nile region is currently a host
to thousands of South Sudan and Congo refugees living in camps and in all the
towns including Arua City, which is a host to over 24-thousands of them, mainly
attracted by the presence of better social amenities.
Many of these refugees are
feared to be getting influenced by political aspirants who are already carrying
out mobilization ahead of the general elections scheduled for 2026.
According to some political
aspirants, having some of the refugees participate in political rallies and
mobilizations gives them the required numbers that matter in Ugandan politics.
