By Spy Uganda
Foreign donors funding Uganda’s refugee feeding program have notified the government of their intention to end financial support within three months. As a result, the government will be required to take on the full responsibility of feeding the 1.7 million refugees residing in the country.
The revelation was made by Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Kasule Lumumba, while appearing before Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee. She led an OPM delegation to present the ministry’s 2025/26 policy statement.
“We are preparing a paper for Cabinet to address the issue of food for refugees. Donors have informed us that they can only provide support for the next three months. Beyond that, we must find a solution. When it comes to feeding 1.7 million people, we cannot postpone,” Lumumba stated.
She added, “Parliament and Cabinet will need to deliberate on this matter, which may also necessitate reviewing some policies regarding refugees.”
According to the OPM, Uganda received and settled 110,452 new refugees and asylum seekers last year, with 90,660 of them fleeing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This brings the total refugee population in Uganda to 1,759,496.
Lumumba’s statement raised concern among MPs, led by Presidential Affairs Committee Chairperson Alex Byarugaba, who demanded to know the government’s plans to avert a looming food crisis for refugees.
“Given our open-door refugee policy, what measures is the government putting in place to prevent an impending disaster? In three months, there will be no more food for these people. What are we supposed to do—just sit and watch?” Byarugaba asked.
Nakawa West MP Ronald Balimwezo criticized the government’s refugee management, particularly in Kampala, where an influx of refugees has driven up housing prices in areas like Kansanga and Gaba. He claimed that Ugandans were being priced out of their homes by Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees who have more financial resources.
“The minister says Uganda hosts over 1.7 million refugees, but refugee management is a growing concern. Social cohesion policies have allowed refugees to integrate into Kampala, leading to job competition in the formal sector. Many Ugandans have been displaced from their homes due to rising accommodation costs,” Balimwezo remarked.
Busia Woman MP Hellen Auma also expressed concern over Uganda’s growing refugee population and questioned the OPM’s strategies for securing sustainable funding.
“With the increasing number of refugees, what initiatives does the OPM have to ensure adequate funding? Even when Ugandans are displaced by disasters like landslides, resettlement takes time. Now, with more refugees arriving, how will the government cope?” Auma inquired.
Minister Lumumba further informed the committee that negotiations for the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) IV have been finalized and are pending World Bank approval in April 2025. Additionally, talks for the Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP) will begin soon.
“These projects are designed to address social challenges across various regions. NUSAF IV, with a budget of $276 million, aims to benefit 3,037,000 rural Ugandans across nine sub-regions. Meanwhile, the DRDIP project, with a total budget of $278 million, targets 3.5 million Ugandans, including refugees and host communities. This time, we will also include cross-border districts such as Kisoro, Ntoroko, Bundibugyo, Amuru, Kitgum, and Zombo,” Lumumba explained.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the OPM has been allocated UGX 154.508 billion. Of this, UGX 6.165 billion is earmarked for wages, UGX 135.667 billion for non-wage recurrent expenditure, UGX 5.474 billion as the government’s contribution to the development budget, and UGX 12.208 billion from external funding.
The OPM also highlighted its achievements for the 2023/24 financial year, including the presentation of 21 bills for first reading in Parliament, submission of 52 ministerial statements, and passage of 11 motions on critical national issues. Additionally, 322 oral and written questions were addressed during Prime Minister’s Question Time to clarify government interventions on various concerns.
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