Uganda’s government has begun a formal rehabilitation programme for citizens evacuated from South Africa, putting the latest arrivals through psychosocial support and reintegration training at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi before they are reunited with their families.
According to Uganda’s Ambassador to South Africa, Paul Amoru, the latest arrivals bring the total number of Ugandans voluntarily repatriated under the government’s evacuation programme to 730, delivered across four charter flights: 266 on the first, 32 on the second, 266 on the third, and 166 on the fourth.
The programme was launched after anti-immigrant protests and xenophobic violence escalated across South Africa in the run-up to a self-imposed June 30 deadline set by anti-migrant groups demanding that undocumented foreigners leave the country.
More than 1,200 Ugandans had registered for voluntary repatriation, and officials have said the operation will continue in phases depending on demand and logistics. Three Ugandans are reported to have died in the unrest, with two victims still unidentified as of the government’s earlier statements.
At NALI, the returnees are going through a patriotism and orientation programme run by the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps (NSPC), an office under the presidency tasked with promoting civic values.
Commissioner Hellen Seku, who leads the training, has framed it around discipline, integrity, hard work and loyalty to Uganda, encouraging returnees to see themselves as part of rebuilding the country rather than victims of the crisis abroad.
Government officials receiving earlier batches at Entebbe struck a similar tone, urging returnees many of whom fled with little more than the clothes they were wearing to take advantage of domestic wealth-creation programmes rather than think of their time in South Africa as wasted opportunity.
The evacuation has been coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and Uganda’s High Commission in Pretoria, with President Yoweri Museveni directing that the government cover the full cost of the operation. Uganda Airlines has operated the charter flights bringing evacuees home.
Uganda is one of several African countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe that have organized similar repatriation efforts for citizens caught up in the unrest.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja earlier told Parliament the government planned to repatriate 771 Ugandans in total; with 730 now home, it isn’t yet clear whether the remaining registrants will be brought back via further charter flights or other means, or what long-term support beyond the Kyankwanzi orientation the government plans to offer returnees rebuilding their lives from scratch.
