After Tanzania, fears of a new wave of forced returns are spreading among Burundian refugees in Uganda and Zambia

SOS Médias Burundi

Kampala/Lusaka, August 5, 2026 – Pressure is mounting on Burundian refugees living in Uganda and Zambia. In the Nakivale and Meheba camps, several awareness-raising meetings about voluntary return have been held in recent weeks, eliciting mixed reactions from the refugees. While some refugees are beginning to return to Burundi from Uganda, those in Zambia say they still fear for their safety if they do return.

Meetings to encourage return

Over the past two weeks, at least four meetings have been held almost simultaneously in the Nakivale camp in southwestern Uganda and the Meheba camp in northwestern Zambia.

The stated objective was the same : raising awareness among Burundian refugees about voluntary return to Burundi.

In both camps, officials explained that these efforts are based primarily on two arguments : the restored stability in Burundi and the stated willingness of the Burundian authorities to welcome back their citizens and assist them with their resettlement.

Unlike Zambia, the Burundian authorities have already traveled to Uganda over the past five years to ask their citizens to return home.

Nakivale, a camp that is increasingly responding to calls for return

Last weekend, more than 170 Burundian refugees were repatriated from Nakivale. This was one of the largest convoys recorded since the beginning of the year.

The convoy crossed Tanzania before entering Burundi from the northeast, as the direct route through Rwanda was unavailable. Diplomatic relations between Gitega and Kigali remain at a standstill, and the border between the two countries remains closed.

In Uganda, authorities and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have also warned Burundian refugees that they must prepare for their return before the announced end of their refugee status, scheduled for the first half of 2028.

This prospect worries many refugees. Some denounce a deterioration in their living conditions in the camps and fear that the pressure being exerted will push some refugees to make a return decision that is not entirely free.

In Meheba, mistrust persists

In Zambia, Burundian refugees in the Meheba camp remain much more reserved in the face of calls to return.

During meetings organized in the camp, their representatives stated that they do not feel safe returning to Burundi.

“We are afraid of reprisals. Some of us have already been imprisoned, tortured, and are wanted,” they said.

A representative from the Zambian Ministry of Public Security reportedly told them that those who believe they cannot return must prove it individually, while urging other refugees to consider returning as “a lasting solution” to their situation in exile.

Fear of renewed pressure

The concerns of Burundian refugees in Uganda and Zambia are heightened by recent experiences in Tanzania, particularly in the Nduta and Nyarugusu camps, where refugees reported pressure to return before the camps were closed.

They fear that similar situations will be repeated in their camps.

The refugees are calling for urgent intervention from UNHCR, human rights organizations, diplomatic missions, and the international community to ensure that any return to Burundi remains strictly voluntary, safe, and dignified.

They reiterate the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning a person to a country where they risk being subjected to persecution, inhuman treatment, or other serious violations of their fundamental rights.

Tens of thousands of refugees affected

The Nakivale camp, located in southwestern Uganda, hosts more than 150,000 refugees, including over 33,000 Burundians.

In Zambia, the Meheba camp shelters more than 30,000 refugees, including approximately 5,000 Burundians, as well as Congolese and nationals of other countries.

For these Burundian refugees, the challenge remains the same: to be able to freely decide their future, in a context where calls for return are multiplying and security guarantees remain a central concern.