Challenges to Refugees' Freedom of Movement in Uganda: A Case of Self-Settled Refugees in Kisenyi, Kampala

Abstract

The thesis discusses the challenges to refugees’ freedom of movement in Uganda. The main objective of this study was to explore the factors confronted by refugees in a bid to exercise their relative freedom of movement in Uganda and was conducted from Kisenyi suburb in Kampala city.

To achieve this objective, the study employed quantitative approach and key informant interviews for data collection in addition to secondary materials. Respondents were selected using systematic sampling approach where a sampling frame was used and a total of 100 research participants were interviewed and purposive sampling was meant for the key informants.

In data analysis, the study dwelt on the Rights- Based Approach which postulated that governments and other duty bearers have to protect, respect and fulfil all the human rights of the rights-holders which in the end leads to refugees’ rights realization. This is in line with the study’s objective of ensuring that refugees enjoy their relative freedom of movement which would enable them participate in the social and economic life to attain self-sufficiency.

The study identified a couple of factors refugees expressed as impediments to their right of movement in Uganda. Firstly, they revealed that the lack of identity documents curtails them from freely moving in Uganda as this has subjected many of them to enormous police harassments, bribery and extortions, valuable confiscations.The study also revealed that refugees feel insecure in both their places of residence because of xenophobia from the locals and living within the same vicinity with theirivformer enemies as well as insecurity aggravated by the police personnel which compelled many of the refugees to limit on their movements.