BUSINESS GRINDS TO A HALT AS TRUCKS GET STRANDED AT ISHASHA AND REFUGEES FLOCK KANUNGU DISTRICT

AMBROSE KWERONDA
KANUNGU DISTRICT

Hundreds of trucks are stuck at the Ishasha border as heavy fighting intensifies in eastern DRC leading to an influx of Congolese entering the Kanungu district searching for food, shelter, and other needs while other Refugees enter the district through numerous porous borders

The district leadership has appealed to the government and other organizations like the Red Cross, USAID, and many others to quickly intervene to ensure proper screening of refugees and fight challenges like the spread of Ebola and also provide maximum security at borders to stop the invasion of M 23 rebels in the country.

According to Deputy RDC Kanungu Ahimbisibwe Gad Rugaju, over seventy Trucks as per now are stuck at the Ishasha border waiting if there could be some hope of proceeding to DRC and as a District, they have received a lot of Congolese immigrants seeking for asylum in the country ever since the heavy fighting begun in Eastern DRC.

He also added that many truck drivers have been here for a long and are facing numerous challenges like lack of Food, Shelter which has exposed them to a lot of suffering where some have decided to park trucks and move to Kampala till the condition normalizes.

The District Chairperson Arineitwe Sam Kajojo says many Congolese are infiltrating the district using porous borders to enter the district mixing up with truckers without being screened which is of danger to the country where he calls upon the Red cross and other Charity organizations to make a quick intervention by ensuring proper screening of refugees on these porous borders.

Tugume Moses-Sub-County Chief Nyanga Sub-Counties said that numerous porous borders and according to the Sub-County Chief, they receive a lot of Congolese entering the district on a daily basis for refugees and some looking for food.

Kwesiga Barigye a Resident of Nyanga sub county told our reporter that they are faced with challenges by these refugees that come with bad behaviors like stealing, Raping thus becoming a problem to the community.

However, Chris Baguma-Regional representative of GAIN Uganda showed the need for teaching laws to the community and organizing a constant dialogue between refugees and Ugandans to create good harmony between the two.

END.