news 5 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Arua City Grapples with Integrating Urban Refugees from Camps
Refugees from South Sudan, Sudan, and Congo are leaving settlements like Ocea and Rhino Camp for Arua City in search of better education, healthcare, and business opportunities amid shrinking camp aid. Local leaders highlight integration challenges and upcoming EU funding to ease pressures on city services. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/living-in-exile-how-arua-struggles-to-settle-in-urban-refugees-5447688
Refugees in Uganda’s West Nile region, particularly in Arua City, face a limbo of exile, unable to return home due to ongoing conflicts or progress forward because of limited opportunities in camps. Many from South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have relocated from settlements such as Omugo, Ocea, Rhino Camp, and Bidibidi to urban areas for access to schools, hospitals, and markets.
Ms. Raja Adam, who fled Sudan’s Nuba Mountains in 2019 after a bombing injured her and separated her from her husband, initially received basic aid in Ocea settlement. As food rations dwindled, she turned to selling mandazi and cassava chips before moving to Arua, where she now produces liquid soap, Sudanese biscuits, and bread, benefiting from local demand and quicker hospital services.
Similarly, Congolese student Oscar David left his camp for Arua’s superior schools but struggles with higher rents and fees compared to Ugandan citizens. Refugees report feeling excluded due to information gaps and discriminatory pricing, calling for equal access to services and better integration.
Camp life offers safety but scant resources, with issues like distant water points, overcrowded schools, and unreliable boreholes plaguing places like Bidibidi, home to over 200,000 people. A 2023 VNG International census counted 24,000 urban refugees in Arua City, straining classrooms, health centers, and markets.
Arua City Town Clerk David Kyasanku notes refugees are already embedded in schools, health committees, and businesses, presenting opportunities despite initial unpreparedness. Experts like Fred Bada from VNG International advocate for local governments to plan for urban refugees, shifting from camp-focused aid to city integration, especially after UNHCR’s cash-based support proved insufficient.
Hope emerges with €900,000 (about $900,000) from the European Union over five years via the SUIDAC program. Funds will support a science lab at Arua Public Secondary School, a general ward at Adumi Health Centre IV, a satellite market in Dadamu, and classroom expansions at Arua Primary School, alleviating budget strains.
Leaders urge refugees to start businesses, abandon tribal divisions, and engage productively, turning their presence into mutual benefits for hosts and displaced communities.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)