Kampala — The UNHCR, the UN agency for refugees, has registered 10,190 people stuck in camps in the Acholi region without support from their families.

The agency's head in the Gulu office, Vanno Noupech, said the group mainly comprised of elderly people, the mentally and physically disabled, children and widows. He said in 2009, UNHCR built more than 2,000 huts for the vulnerable and was planning to construct 4,500 more this year.

He advised the local authorities not to evict them since they lacked support. The LC3 chairman of Palaro sub-county, David Ngole, said the elderly and the disabled lacked food and shelter, and faced famine and drought.

Ngole said the people of Kiteny walk about 6km looking for water. "The mothers wake up at about 3:00am to go for water." He added that one elderly woman broke her limb as she was walking to Labworomor camp to look for food.