KAMPALA, Uganda — More than 1,000 Ugandans have returned home after fleeing severe xenophobic violence and anti-migrant attacks in South Africa. As these displaced citizens arrive back in Uganda, many face the daunting task of rebuilding their livelihoods from scratch after losing businesses, jobs, and, in some tragic cases, loved ones during the unrest. Ugandan authorities are now actively mobilizing to help these returnees recover, reintegrate, and regain their economic footing in a safe environment.
For Charles Ochieng and Ismail Mwebe, life has effectively restarted from zero. It has been two weeks since they fled the xenophobic attacks in South Africa and arrived back in Uganda. Charles Ochieng had previously built a successful vocational school in the mining town of Brits, located in South Africa’s northwest province. Now, he is confronting the painful reality that his hard-earned achievements have been entirely erased.
“If I think of how much I’ve lost in property, it can range to 2 million rand in property, and now including my school is no more running. It has been captured by the municipality,” Charles Ochieng explained, highlighting the total collapse of his educational enterprise.
Ismail Mwebe similarly lost his primary source of livelihood when his grocery store was targeted and looted by attackers. This devastation occurred despite Ismail possessing all the necessary legal documents that permitted him to live and work in South Africa. He recounted a chilling encounter where a group of men demanded he leave the country.
“Five men told me to get out of their country, even with legal papers. They said I should reapply if I wanted to settle in South Africa,” Ismail Mwebe recalled. “We closed the shop, and in the night they broke in and looted everything. I didn’t bother going back.”
Charles Ochieng and Ismail Mwebe are among the more than 1,000 Ugandan nationals who have been safely repatriated by their government. Many of these returnees arrived with little more than the clothes on their backs. Beyond the severe financial and material losses, a significant number of these individuals are grappling with deep psychological trauma resulting from the violence and sudden displacement.
Government Repatriation and Reintegration Support
In response to this humanitarian and economic crisis, Ugandan government officials have outlined a comprehensive reintegration strategy. Authorities state that counseling, skills training, and targeted business support will be pivotal in helping returnees rebuild their lives and create new economic opportunities.
A key component of this initiative is group-based funding. The government has stipulated that returnees who organize themselves into cohesive groups will be eligible for financial backing to start new businesses, alongside access to counseling and skills training to help them settle back home.
Emphasizing the state’s financial readiness to support this initiative, a Ugandan government spokesperson stated, “We are not short of money as government. We have never run short of money, but sometimes we are failed by poor organization. So if they organize themselves very well, we shall fund them so that they are able to take off and do businesses locally here. That even will attract others who could have been in other countries.”
Turning to Agriculture for a Fresh Start
With this support framework in mind, both Charles Ochieng and Ismail Mwebe are pivoting toward the agricultural sector to rebuild their shuttered lives. Ismail Mwebe has already taken concrete steps, securing an initial order of 100 chickens to launch his new venture and test the viability of the business model.
“If we go back to Uganda, we can be helped to start,” Ismail Mwebe noted. “I am already having an order of 100 chickens which I’m going to start with to see how the business can grow from there. I wasn’t into agriculture, but now, knowing that Uganda is an agricultural country, I’m getting back into agriculture into business. I’m already starting… I need some support from those who know more. I will just be going to some farms so that I get more idea about that.”
Ugandan officials believe that these returnees are not just seeking refuge, but are also bringing home valuable skills and professional experience gained abroad. This influx of human capital is expected to strengthen local sectors, particularly agriculture, manufacturing, and small businesses, turning a challenging displacement crisis into a potential long-term economic opportunity for the nation.
For Charles Ochieng, Ismail Mwebe, and thousands of other Africans displaced by anti-migrant violence, returning home undeniably means starting from scratch. While the road ahead remains difficult after losing almost everything they had built, these resilient returnees express profound gratitude for being back in a place where they finally feel safe and supported.
