Congolese refugees who fled the fighting between government forces and rebels are protesting poor living conditions at Nyakabande reception center in Kisoro district.
Johnson Kyomukama, the Uganda Red Cross Society—URCS branch Manager for Kisoro says the number of refugees that have been transferred now stands at over 3500 up from 1600 on Sunday. He says URCS is working hand in hand with the Office of the Prime Minister, United Nations High Commission for Refugees and other organizations to have them shifted to Rwamwanja refugee camp in Kamwenge district.
The refugees are complaining that the tents which they live in are too congested and that hygiene and sanitation are poor. They are also concerned about other issues such as having one meal in a day and separating women from their husbands.
Mutungurehi Bahufite, a 30 year old man who comes from Buganzi, Rucuru district in North Kivu Province, told Uganda Radio Network that the situation at the reception centre is appalling and that this has been worsened by taking only one meal a day.
He says that they find it very hard during the day as they have to wait until 8pm when food is served and then wait for the morning porridge.
50 year old Hellen Nderino, who fled from Kinyandoyi, Rucuru district in North Kivu Province says children are the most affected as they find it hard to survive on one meal a day.
She reveals that food which is sold by the locals in Kisoro is too expensive for them to buy asking the authorities to relocate them to another place where they can get enough land and start digging.
Antoinette Wimana, another refugee from Rucuru district says that the Uganda Red Cross Society should have distributed food to them as individuals since cooking in groups is inconveniencing for them as they at times end up fighting for the little food.
Nyirasafari Mamia from Bweza in North Kivu province told URN that they are only fed on Peas and posho and as a result her child is now having a running stomach.
Ndayambaje Sengonga 27, says he is unhappy with the decision by the authorities to separate males from females saying that they have been denied their conjugal rights.
Ndayambaje says that they came with their wives because they never wanted to be away from them.
He says that he has been at the camp for a month and he is not allowed to stay with his wife. He further revealed that the toilets are very dirty and that their lives are at risk.
But Kyomukama, the URCS official says that it is a World Food Program policy for refugees to be given one meal a day and porridge in the morning.
He also refuted claims that the refuges are only fed on posho and peas saying that they have been mixing soybean flour in their food.
Kyomukama added that that the separation of the refugees according to their sex is because they are too many for each and every family to have its own tent but revealed that women are free to interact with their husbands provided they don’t inconvenience other refugees.
