Uganda gazettes refugee camps to ‘host’ Kenyan poll victims
Uganda has gazetted refugees camps that will be used to host Kenyans fleeing their country in the event of post-election violence.
A report by NBS television indicates the gazetted areas are at Tororo town, located a few kilometres from Malaba border.
Tororo district security, together with political heads, has gazetted two reception centers for Kenyan refugees just in case the polls go sour.#NBSLiveAt9 #NBSUpdates pic.twitter.com/pDEx2mEmzq
— NBS Television (@nbstv) August 8, 2022
The decision was confirmed by Tororo municipality lawmaker Apollo Ofwono. This amid further reports by the Ugandan government that human traffic from Kenya into Uganda has increased three-fold during the electioneering period.
This as the Malaba border continues to receive hundreds of Kenyan travelers crossing into the country ahead of Kenyan polls.#NBSLiveAt9 #NBSUpdates
— NBS Television (@nbstv) August 8, 2022
Kenyans commenced voting on the morning of August 9, 2022, with 22 million voters expected to elect, among other candidates, their next president.
Those in contention to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is retiring, are Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga, United Democratic Alliance’s (UDA) William Ruto, Roots Party’s George Wajackoyah and Agano’s David Mwaure.
Other elective positions are for the governor seat, senatorial, parliamentarian, women representative and member of county assembly.
In 2007, after a contested electoral battle between President Kenyatta and Odinga, violence broke out with millions of Kenyans being displaced while others losing their lives and property.
The violence left a thousand people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Six people considered main suspects behind the violence, including President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto, were summoned to the International Criminal Court (ICC) but later released owing to a lack of evidence.