Uganda is under mounting pressure as thousands of refugees fleeing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue to pour into the country, overwhelming an already overstretched response system.
The recent influx is largely driven by the resurgence of the M23 rebel group in eastern DRC, which has intensified fighting and displaced tens of thousands of Congolese civilians.
Entire communities have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety, many making their way to neighbouring Uganda.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the mass arrival of refugees is straining “Uganda’s threadbare resources in teachers and school assistants.”
Construction of shelter for individuals with special needs has been halted, and a “30 per cent fuel cut for partner fleets is affecting logistics and service delivery,” limiting access to vulnerable communities.
The situation is further complicated by a major global funding shortfall. The UNHCR recently announced that cuts in humanitarian funding by the US government—the agency’s largest donor—mean it will no longer be able to feed refugees globally
. This unprecedented move is impacting refugee operations worldwide, including Uganda.
Despite these limitations, the Ugandan government—through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and in collaboration with UNHCR and partners—is striving to provide life-saving support at border entry points like Nyakabande and Matanda.
New arrivals are registered, screened for malnutrition, and given medicine to prevent cholera.
Transit centres offer essentials including hot meals, safe drinking water, sleeping mats, jerrycans, soap, and blankets.
Vulnerable individuals, such as unaccompanied children and persons with disabilities, receive targeted assistance including family reunification.
Children are particularly affected, many arriving in a weakened state amid a high prevalence of malaria and malnutrition.
Since January, reports from the Nyakabande and Matanda transit centres in southwestern Uganda reveal that as many as nine children under five years old have tragically died from malnutrition-related anaemia while being processed at these reception points.
Relocation efforts continue, with “approximately 3,000 people transferred every week from Nyakabande and Matanda to existing refugee settlements,” according to UNHCR.
However, an escalating funding shortfall is forcing agencies to make painful trade-offs. “UNHCR is scaling back on some standard protection activities, such as legal aid for refugees and safe spaces for children to gather and play, to prioritise the most critical needs,” the agency revealed.
Essential activities such as border monitoring, registration, and specialized support for women and children—like menstrual hygiene kits and services for survivors of gender-based violence—will continue.
But the warning is clear: “Urgent funding is critical to maintain and expand these services.”