Uganda to bring home 746 citizens from South Africa due to violence

The Ugandan government has announced plans to bring back hundreds of its citizens from South Africa. This follows months of rising anti-migrant violence and protests against foreigners.

In a statement on Sunday, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Haruna Kasolo said President Yoweri Museveni has asked government agencies to start the process for Ugandans who want to return home due to growing security concerns.

The evacuation is expected to start in a few days.

Mr Kasolo said that 746 Ugandan nationals have signed up for evacuation so far, and more are likely to join.

He mentioned that some Ugandans had already left South Africa on their own after a 30 June deadline set by vigilante groups targeting foreigners.

The statement said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda High Commission in South Africa, and leaders of the Ugandan community there.

The plan includes registering affected citizens across different provinces in South Africa. They will be moved to safe assembly centres, given emergency travel documents if needed, and helped by immigration authorities to leave the country.

Uganda Airlines will run special charter flights for the evacuation, with the costs covered by the Ugandan government.

The government also confirmed that one Ugandan was killed in an attack in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mr Kasolo offered condolences to the victim’s family and said plans are in place to bring the body back to Uganda.

He added that Kampala is still in talks with the South African government to ensure the safety of Ugandan nationals who remain there.

Uganda's announcement comes as other African countries are also bringing back their citizens from South Africa amid recent xenophobic violence.

Nigeria has already repatriated its first group of citizens after the federal government approved free flights for Nigerians wishing to return. Over 1,000 Nigerians signed up for the repatriation, with the first group arriving in Lagos earlier this month.

Other countries like Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Liberia have also started or announced plans to bring back their citizens.

Xenophobia means prejudice, hostility, or violence against people seen as foreigners.

The current unrest in South Africa is fueled by anti-immigrant groups who blame undocumented migrants for taking jobs, increasing crime, and straining public services.

These attacks are not new. South Africa has faced several waves of xenophobic violence in the past two decades, with major outbreaks in 2008, 2015, and 2019 that led to many deaths and prompted African governments to evacuate their citizens.