Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja Asks Rotary International President Jennifer Jones To Support Refugee Settlements
The Prime Minister applauded the work done by Rotary; highlighting that Uganda would require support in addressing challenges that come with the influx of refugees, especially in Nakivale Refugee Settlement.
By Fahim Muyingo
Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja has urged Rotary International to support the construction of more structures in Nakivale Refugee Settlement located in Isingiro district, southwestern Uganda.
The ever jolly Primer Minister attributed the need for more habitable structures at Nakivale and other refugee resettlement centers in the country to the increase in the population of refugees in Uganda.
She requested while interacting with the leadership of Rotarians. She revealed that the support from development partners to fund refugee programs is diminishing and the country has to find ways to accommodate refugees.
Rotary International president Dr. Jennifer Jones is in Uganda to spearhead the fundraising drive for the Rotary Peace Center which is to be hosted by Makerere University. She will later visit Nakivale. The Prime Minister’s request was delivered at the right time.
The Prime Minister applauded the work done by Rotary; highlighting that Uganda would require support in addressing challenges that come with the influx of refugees, especially in Nakivale.
“Uganda now hosts over 1.5 million refugees who are under my office. We continue to request support and because of that, it places a number of challenges on our refugee hosting communities. We are looking at a way of constructing refugee settlements,” she said.
Nabanja emphasized that the support coming from development partners to support refugee settlements is dwindling. She said this is because of the war in Ukraine; however, she requested that Uganda continues to be helping refugees but with more support needed.
Dr. Jones, a Canadian, is the first woman president of the 117-year-old rotary international charity organization, who took office in July 2022.
Dr. Jones led by the leadership of Rotary Uganda and International discussed the mandate of Rotary Clubs where she emphasized a number of areas of focus that included water, sanitation, disease prevention and Basic Education.
She said Uganda has the chance to have the first-ever peace center located on the African continent. “Being able to meet with administrators, lecturers, professors and students will enable learning more about this center and how it’s creating peace, she said.
During her visit here Dr. Jones will visit Nakivale Refugee Settlement to see the situation of the refugees and publicize it to expose its status to the world.
