By Ritah Kemigisa
The Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Esther Anyakun Davinia has revealed that Uganda is to host 2000 asylum seekers from Afghanistan.
Minister Anyakun says the refugees will stay in Uganda for at least three months at the full expense of the US government.
“Their period of being here is not more than three months, because after that they will be relocated to their permanent settlements by the US government and besides the US government will take care of logistical support and financial implication,” says Ms Anyakun.
She reveals that the US president recently contacted president Museveni requesting Uganda to host these asylum seekers as an emergency evacuation measure, a request which Museveni accepted.
“We had a meeting yesterday after the president accepted the US government request. We have started ground planning and preparations at the airport. There will be no one who will enter and leave the airport.
They will board a bus from there to the designated hotels,” adds Ms Anyakun.
She adds that the UN refugee agency, UNHCR has already identified a number of hotels in Entebbe among them imperial hotels where they will stay.
“At the hotels, they will be tested for covid19 and be quarantined.”
