Former Coordinator of Intelligence Services, Gen. David Sejusa, has issued a sharply worded warning about what he calls Uganda’s “unregulated refugee industry,” arguing that the country’s refugee policies have created economic distortions, governance risks, and social tensions.
In a lengthy post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Sejusa compared Uganda’s handling of refugees to Germany’s intake of one million Syrians during the 2015 migrant crisis. He argued that Germany’s decision was driven by a need for industrial labour, a situation he says Uganda does not mirror. “When Germany took in 1m refugees from Syria… it needed workers in its industries. Even then, there is so much social pressure from this,” he wrote.
Sejusa alleged that the Ugandan government receives approximately US$240 million annually to support refugees, yet many of them do not reside in designated camps. “Many of these refugees are not in REFUGEE CAMPS, but occupy the local business spaces in cities, towns, and even villages,” he claimed, saying they increasingly enter sectors such as street vending, informal trading, and sex work. He added that Uganda’s already high population growth and limited job creation make refugee absorption increasingly difficult.
The general also questioned official figures concerning refugees living in settlements. “Of the 2 million, I estimate about 500,000 only stay in camps,” he wrote, referring to Nakivale, Kyangwali, and settlements in the West Nile region. “We can easily count them… how many are in these camps?” Uganda currently hosts refugees from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Somalia, and other countries. Sejusa asked why Uganda continues to receive refugees from countries “not at war,” suggesting that corruption may be driving the process. “Why would Uganda be receiving refugees from countries not at war if it is not for dollar thefts?” he wrote.
With elections approaching, Sejusa criticised presidential aspirants for not addressing what he described as a looming crisis. “I haven’t heard any of the Presidential candidates address this TIME BOMB,” he wrote, alleging that “many of these refugees are now voters.” He said the presence of refugees is evident across urban areas such as Kisenyi, Bbunga, and Munyonyo, and warned that continued mismanagement could “choke” the country.