Kampala — A total of 273 Ugandan nationals have safely returned home from South Africa, marking the first phase of the Government of Uganda's voluntary repatriation exercise for citizens affected by the recent wave of anti-illegal immigration protests and xenophobic violence in South African.
The returnees arrived at Entebbe International Airport at 2:00 a.m. on Friday aboard a special Uganda Airlines charter flight and were received by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Haruna Kasolo alongside Uganda's Ambassador to South Africa Paul Emoru who accompanied them on the flight.
Speaking at the airport, Kasolo described the arrival as an important milestone in the Government's efforts to safeguard Ugandans caught up in the recent developments in South Africa.
"I commend our Embassy in South Africa, together with all the government agencies and partners involved, for their dedication, professionalism and coordinated efforts in making this operation possible," he said.
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Kasolo reassured Ugandans that the evacuation exercise is still underway, noting that additional charter flights will be dispatched to bring home more citizens who have opted for voluntary repatriation.
The evacuation followed a directive by President Yower Museveni ordering that all costs associated with the operation be fully met by the Government to ensure the safe return of Ugandans wishing to leave South Africa.
The exercise is being coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ugandan High Commission in South Africa and other government agencies.
Government officials said more than 800 Ugandan nationals have so far registered for voluntary repatriation, with more charter flights expected in the coming days.
The evacuation programme was initiated after anti-illegal immigration protests escalated in parts of South Africa, where demonstrators demanded tougher enforcement of immigration laws and the removal of undocumented foreign nationals. The unrest heightened fears among many foreign residents, prompting several African governments to organise voluntary repatriation programmes for their citizens.
Uganda joins Ghana and Nigeria, among other countries which have also offered voluntary repatriation to citizens wishing to leave South Africa.
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Earlier, Kasolo said many Ugandans seeking evacuation either lacked valid travel documents or held expired passports, requiring Uganda's mission in South Africa to process emergency travel certificates before they could return home.
While the Government initially indicated that more than 700 Ugandans had sought assistance, the number of those who registered for voluntary repatriation later increased to about 1,200.
