Eddie Ssejjoba
6 February 2008
Kampala — HOIMA district authorities have complained that oil companies operating in the region were recruiting mainly Congolese nationals to work at their sites, locking out Ugandans.
The LC5 vice-chairman, Edward Kyamutesire, said many Congolese who had crossed into Uganda had been elected on local councils and were forwarding their countrymen to work at oil sites.
He said the exercise had caused a lot of tension between the two groups and asked the Government to intervene.
"We have had serious confrontations between these foreigners and local people and soon we might see clashes. The earlier the matter is addressed, the better," Kyamutesire told a team of ministers and UPDF generals, who were visiting the town ahead of Tarehe Sita (army day) celebrations.
The Hoima secretary for defence, Alex Byansi, said the Congolese were flocking into Uganda because of weak immigration policies.
He said the foreigners were dominating local politics because of their large numbers.
Byansi claimed some Congolese fishermen were fishing in Ugandan waters on Lake Albert, while others committed offences and fled to their country.
"We also see the Government losing a lot of revenue because people smuggle goods freely," he added.
The coordinator of intelligence agencies, Gen. David Tinyefuza, affirmed that the presence of Congolese was creating a security threat in the district.
He accused some MPs of supporting the foreigners and mobilising them during campaigns.
Tinyefuza said out of the 78 landing sites on the Ugandan side of Lake Albert, only 38 were manned by locals.
"It is a funny situation with most local council officials being Congolese, yet Ugandans can not be allowed to take up such roles in DR Congo."
The general also hinted on the serious political disagreements over land in the Bunyoro region, calling upon leaders to intervene and resolve them.
He warned that if not solved, criminal elements would exploit the situation to cause trouble for the Government.
Tinyefuza said local council structures had become political instruments.
"Our success in the struggle days was by mobilising people through local council structures. But they have now turned into political instruments and can no longer mobilise the people."
Internal affairs state minister Matia Kasaija said the Government would soon issue national identity cards, to help screen out non-Ugandans.
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