KAMPALA – The influx of Eritreans in Uganda’s capital Kampala is a going concern but the government has remained tight lipped and aloof. So, I took it upon myself to visit some of the areas occupied by the Eritreans community usually mistaken for Ethiopians. The first thing I observed is that these people are self-conceited and rarely interact with Ugandans.
We know for a fact that there is no active, full-scale war inside Eritrea but there is a high risk of conflict due to extreme tensions with Ethiopia. Following a shared alliance against Tigray forces in four years ago, relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia have deteriorated, with fears of a new, destructive regional war escalating.
My investigations revealed that there is a combination of factors for their migration including mandatory military training (Sawa), political repression by the regime of Isaias Afewerki, and severe poverty, alongside Uganda’s refugee policies, which offer safety, freedom of movement, and the right to work. Thousands of Eritreans, have settled in Kampala, particularly around Kibuli, Namuwongo, Kisugu, Muyenga, Bukasa, Kabalagala and Kansanga.
Others have settled around Munyonyo, Mulungu, Buziga, Salama Road, Nsambya, Konge, Makindye, Ggaba Road, Bunga, and other surrounding areas, where they have established a vibrant community and a strong, organized business sector. The areas named above are the major residential and business places in Makindye Division within Kampala capital city. Soon, the entire division may be taken over by these visitors.
My undercover investigation further revealed that the majority of these Eritreans are living and working in Uganda without work permits; some are registered refugees while the majority came as visitors or students but have overstayed their welcome. For that reason, these fugitives for luck of a better word go into hiding during the day and only come out in the night for fear of falling in the net of immigration officers.
It has been confirmed also that many high-rise buildings in Kampala belong to these Eritreans and are already having the feel of investors. Can we safely continue to call them refugees or they are now permanent residents with no intentions of leaving soon. They attribute their comfort to Uganda’s peaceful albeit welcoming environment, and favorable investment climate, which serves as a safer alternative to western migration.
They are actively engaged in sectors like hospitality, real estate, hotels, transport, tourism, rented apartments, and retail, with an estimated contribution of over $3 billion to the local economy. They have so far overtaken the Somalis and Sudanese who came earlier. The initial lot of Eritreans entered as refugees but have now settled, established families, business empires bought or built house like locals.
Unfortunately, their influx in many areas is creating tension with some locals feeling insecure and threatened. The few Ugandans I interacted with told me that once an Eritrean secures residential or business space on a particular building, they unintentionally lure the landlords with more money, almost double the amount in order to displace the locals.
On top of being cocooned to one another, they have established a system where they support their own in business ignoring the locals. Most of the small-scale businesses such as saloons, boutiques, retail shops, restaurants, road side shops operated by the locals have since closed due to being isolated, being evicted by landlords or lack of customers.
My investigation also revealed that many Eritreans initially used Uganda as a transit host eroute to the western world but have since become comfortable. Many of their desired destinations have since reconsidered their refugee policy including limiting numbers especially when they all come from the same country.
The environment alone appears conducive for them to flourish as they await an exit pass to their desired destinations. They have however been given preferential treatment unlike their Congolese and some Sudanese who are settled in rural camps. The Eritreans in Uganda are urban migrants allowed to live and work freely, as if they were in their home country without the need for visas or even work permits.
We ought to remember that scores of Eritreans, previously in Israel, have been relocated to Uganda through clandestine arrangements, further increasing the population. It is claimed that while many settle, others view Uganda as a temporary stopover to seek asylum and eventually move to Europe or to countries like Canada or America.
The growing presence of Eritreans has created a significant “Habesha” community in Kampala, hence unintentionally changing the economic and cultural landscape of city suburbs. This has created unlevelled competition for facilities such as residential and business housing beyond what the government of Uganda had anticipated and or planned for.
I understand we are all potential refugees but Eritrean number are overwhelming. The phrase “we are all potential refugees” highlights that displacement is a universal vulnerability, not a static condition limited to certain populations. Any of us could find ourselves in the same state due to social or political persecution, conflict or severe crisis.
Never the less, we cannot sit back and relax as if it is business as usual. The government needs to rethink it open refugee policy lest we allow history to repeat itself. What happened to the Indian Community in Uganda during Idd Amin’s policies should teach us never to allow visitors to overstay their welcome.
The author, Wadada Rogers is a commentator on political, legal and social issues.
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