KIKUUBE DISTRICT, 11th October 2026 – Hon. Balaam has visited Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, one of Uganda’s largest refugee-hosting communities, now home to over 154,000 refugees, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The settlement, spanning 142 square kilometers in Kikuube District, is facing a multi-layered crisis following major donor funding cuts in 2025-2026.
Key Issues Established at the Settlement:
- Escalating Gender-Based Violence: According to the reports, Kyangwali is reporting on average a woman raped and a girl defiled every day. Many cases go unreported as survivors depend on perpetrators who are often relatives or caregivers. Forced pregnancy and forced prostitution driven by survival pressures are also on the rise. Cases collapse in court due to intimidation and withdrawal.
- Food and Funding Crisis: Following the freeze of USAID support and up to 57% drops in funding from the US, Germany, UK and Japan in 2026, food rations have ended and monthly cash transfers have dwindled to just $3 per person.
- Education and Mental Health: Only 2% of households in refugee-hosting districts are connected to the national grid, and 99% rely on firewood. A single school in Kyangwali spends up to $367 a term on fuel, sometimes half its feeding budget. Poor educational resources, hidden costs of UGX 3,000-10,000 in primary and UGX 80,000-150,000 in secondary, plus distance and language barriers, cause high dropout, especially among girls due to marriage and pregnancy. The District Education Officer reports trauma and hunger among children, with some fleeing immunisation vehicles.
- Service Collapse: Several organizations including Save the Children have pulled out. Over 30,000 children lack birth certificates, there is no organization left advocating for gender-based issues or access to justice, and health centres are overwhelmed.
Hon. Balaam said the government cannot sit back as host communities and refugees suffer, noting that Uganda hosts over 1.9 million refugees, more than any country in Africa. He pledged to table the matter before the Prime Minister, the Office of the Prime Minister and to appeal to the international community for restoration of funding.
