The Acting State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Haruna Kasolo, has urged Ugandans recently repatriated from South Africa to take advantage of government programmes designed to help them rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into their communities.
Kasolo made the remarks on Friday during a visit to the returnees at a reintegration centre in Kyankwanzi, where they are undergoing post-repatriation support following their evacuation from South Africa.
His visit comes just a day after the government concluded the first phase of a voluntary repatriation exercise that brought home 1,102 Ugandan nationals from Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town after xenophobic unrest disrupted their lives.
Kasolo said the government's responsibility extends beyond bringing citizens home and includes helping them recover economically and socially.
"Today, I visited our fellow Ugandans who were recently repatriated from South Africa and are currently undergoing reintegration support in Kyankwanzi," Kasolo said.
"It was encouraging to interact with them and share the various government programmes they can benefit from as they rebuild their lives back home."
He encouraged the returnees to enrol in government initiatives that promote skills development, wealth creation and access to affordable financing, saying these programmes would help them establish sustainable livelihoods and contribute to the country's development.
"I encouraged them to take advantage of initiatives aimed at skills development, wealth creation and access to affordable financing so they can successfully reintegrate into their communities and contribute to Uganda's development," he said.
Kasolo also praised the coordinated efforts of various government institutions that participated in the evacuation mission and thanked President Museveni for prioritising the welfare of Ugandans living abroad.
"I also took the opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of Ugandans wherever they may be," he said.
He also thanked the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda People's Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force, Uganda's High Commission in South Africa led by Ambassador Paul Amoru, and other agencies whose coordination made the evacuation possible.
The final group of 219 Ugandans arrived at Entebbe International Airport at 11:20 p.m. on Thursday aboard a Uganda Airlines chartered flight from Johannesburg, accompanied by Ambassador Paul Amoru, bringing the total number of returnees under Phase I to 1,102.
The government launched the voluntary repatriation exercise after Ugandans living in South Africa appealed for assistance following a resurgence of xenophobic violence that left many foreign nationals facing attacks, threats, destruction of property and loss of livelihoods.
Several returnees have recounted fleeing their homes and businesses with only the clothes they were wearing after their property was looted or destroyed during the unrest.
Kasolo said the government remains committed to protecting Ugandan citizens wherever they are in the world and ensuring those returning from crises receive the support needed to rebuild their lives and become economically productive again.
The reintegration programme in Kyankwanzi is expected to equip the returnees with information on available government support programmes before they are reunited with their families and communities across the country.
