Uganda : Burundian asylum rights trampled, over 75% of applications rejected in an alarming “purge”

Kampala, February 23, 2026 – An alarming regression in the protection of Burundian asylum seekers is being observed in Uganda, as the recent report from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), responsible for refugees, reveals that over three-quarters of asylum applications from Burundians were rejected in a recent exercise.

An accelerated procedure targeting multiple nationalities

The PMO, with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), launched an accelerated refugee status determination procedure in Kampala between November and December 2025, targeting asylum seekers of various nationalities, including Burundians.

Of the 202 Burundian asylum seekers interviewed, 154 had their applications rejected (76%), while only 48 (24%) were accepted.

A terrible decline compared to previous years

The statistics reveal a worrying reversal : between October and December 2023, of 512 Burundian asylum seekers, 452 were granted the refugee status (88%), 51 applications were rejected (10%), and 9 cases (2%) were returned for further examination. This decline reflects a drastic decrease in the level of protection afforded to Burundians.

A climate of fear and legal insecurity

According to Libérat Ndayishimiye, Executive Director of Refugee Rights Action Organization (RRAO), an NGO that advocates for refugees, this shift creates a climate of uncertainty and legal insecurity for Burundian asylum seekers :

“This seriously compromises their right to effective protection and cannot in any way be interpreted as a sign of improvement in the human rights situation in Burundi, which remains worrying according to numerous national and international organizations.”

RRAO calls on the Ugandan authorities to strictly respect local and international standards for refugee protection and to maintain dignified reception, in line with the African example of asylum.

Uganda, Africa’s leading refugee host

With nearly 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 refugee host country on the African continent.