Nakivale (Uganda) : refugees arrested amid electoral tensions

SOS Médias Burundi

Nakivale, January 21, 2026 – The recent presidential and legislative elections in Uganda have had direct repercussions in several refugee camps, particularly in Nakivale, one of the largest in the country. Burundian, Congolese, and Somali refugees were arrested before, during, and after the vote for activities deemed political by the authorities, according to several sources.

Prohibited political participation : a more complex reality

According to the international law and the Ugandan legislation, refugees are prohibited from participating in the political activities of their host country. However, in a context where some refugees have lived in Uganda for decades, this prohibition is often difficult to enforce.

According to several accounts gathered in Nakivale, refugees participated in rallies and demonstrations, both pro-government and anti-government.

“Fights and riots broke out here at the camp when the police tried to prevent refugees from leaving to demonstrate with the opposition. One police officer was even injured,” testified a Burundian refugee from the Nakivale camp, specifying that the incident occurred in the village of Kabazana, near the camp.

A security source indicated that several refugees were arrested not only in Nakivale, but also in Mbarara, some 270 kilometers southwest of the capital Kampala, and in Kampala itself, in similar contexts related to the election period.

Prior warning from refugee rights organizations

On the eve of the January 15th election, the NGO Refugee Rights Action Organization (RRAO) published an information note aimed at “protecting the status and safety of thousands of asylum seekers and refugees before, during, and after the elections.”

“Political engagement is forbidden : refugees in Uganda risk deportation during the election period. All refugees must stay away from the internal political debate,” the organization warned.

Based in Kampala, RRAO reported observing the presence of refugees at several demonstrations in the lead-up to the election, emphasizing that the election period is a time of high political sensitivity.

Risk of losing the refugee status

For Liberat Ndayishimiye, RRAO’s executive director, the legal framework is clear :

“Refugees benefit from international protection, but this is conditional on strict non-interference in the political affairs of the host country.” “

He warned of the risks involved :

“Political involvement can expose refugees to arrest, harassment, or even the revocation of their refugee status.”

The organization therefore recommended that refugees refrain from participating in any campaigns, from wearing any political party symbols, and from expressing partisan opinions, including on social media.

Calls for clemency and paralyzed camps

In Nakivale as in Kampala, refugee community leaders are now calling for clemency from the Ugandan authorities, demanding the release of refugees detained for reasons they describe as political.

They are also denouncing the paralysis of numerous activities in the camps, a direct consequence of the internet shutdown imposed during the election period, which has affected access to information, services, and communication with families.

Uganda, Africa’s leading land of asylum

With approximately 1.93 million refugees, primarily from South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also tens of thousands of Burundians, Uganda remains the leading host country for refugees in Africa.

However, the situation observed in Nakivale illustrates the fragility of the refugee status during periods of high political tension, where the security imperatives of host states often clash with the principles of international protection.