Uganda Red Cross is facing a serious food crisis to feed Congolese refugees at Nyakabande Reception Centre in Kisoro district.
The refugees, now numbering more than 40,000, are fleeing the renewed fighting in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Johnson Kyomukama, the Kisoro Red Cross official says that the reception centre is currently over stretched by the numbers of the refugees.
Some of the refugees have been relocated to Kamwenge. Kyomukama says that his office needs more food to meet the high demand.
Some of the refugees are blaming the food crisis on Uganda Red Cross officials saying they should have been left closer to the border where they would sneak back home to get some food from their garden.
Hakizimana Protazio, a refugee says that they are not happy with the authorities because they promised to offer them better services at the reception centre when they were being moved. He says that they have now resorted to fighting for the little available food provided once a day by the Red Cross.
He says that the authorities told them to choose between going to Nyakabande reception centre and going back to their war torn country.
But John Nduguste, who is heading the campaign to resettle the refugees, says that they are supposed to settle 15 Kilometers from the border to ensure that they are safe.
Kisoro Desident District Commissioner, Hajji Mustapha Doka, says that they are liaising with the office of the Prime Minister to ensure that the refugees get enough food as their number increases each day. He says that despite the fact several refugees have already been moved to Kamwenge, the numbers have continued to go high as more refugees enter the district.
The refugees are fleeing fighting between government forces and rebels loyal to renegade General Bosco Ntaganda.
