A total of 273 Ugandans have been evacuated from South Africa and safely returned home under the first phase of the Government’s voluntary repatriation programme following recent anti-immigration demonstrations and xenophobic attacks in the southern African nation.
The group arrived at Entebbe International Airport at about 2:00 a.m. on Friday aboard a Uganda Airlines chartered aircraft. They were welcomed by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Haruna Kasolo, and Uganda’s Ambassador to South Africa, Paul Emoru, who travelled with the returnees.
Addressing the returnees at the airport, Kasolo said the successful evacuation demonstrates the Government’s commitment to protecting Ugandan citizens facing insecurity abroad.
He praised officials at Uganda’s High Commission in South Africa, together with the various ministries and agencies involved, for coordinating the operation and ensuring the safe return of the affected nationals.
Kasolo said the repatriation exercise is continuing, adding that more charter flights will be arranged in the coming days to bring back additional Ugandans who have expressed interest in returning home.
The evacuation was undertaken following a directive from President Yower Museveni that the Government should fully finance the operation, ensuring that Ugandans wishing to leave South Africa could do so at no personal cost.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading the exercise in partnership with the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda’s diplomatic mission in South Africa and other government institutions.
Government officials indicated that hundreds of Ugandans have already registered for the programme, with the number of those seeking repatriation rising from an initial estimate of more than 700 to approximately 1,200.
Kasolo previously revealed that many of those requesting evacuation had either lost their travel documents or possessed expired passports, prompting officials at Uganda’s mission in Pretoria to issue emergency travel certificates to facilitate their return.
The repatriation programme was launched after anti-illegal immigration protests intensified in several parts of South Africa. The demonstrations, which called for stricter enforcement of immigration laws and the removal of undocumented migrants, created uncertainty and fear among many foreign nationals.
Uganda is among several African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, that have organised voluntary evacuation programmes for citizens wishing to leave South Africa in the wake of the unrest.
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