Government Halts Repatriation of Ugandans From Abroad

The government has suspended the return of Ugandans who are stranded abroad following the congestion of quarantine facilities.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country will not handle any new returnees after July 4, 2020.

The Ministry of Health has gazetted 37 quarantine centres in Kampala and Entebbe that have a total capacity of 2,500 rooms.

According to Ambassador Patrick Mugoya, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the return of Ugandans will resume after health officials have attended to those in quarantine centres.

At the start of the return process of Ugandans and residents, the ministry of health had planned to have a total of 300 Ugandans return every two weeks. However, in a space of one week, more than 300 people have returned and filled up the quarantine centres.

All returnees will have to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for two weeks.

Those that have already returned are from South Africa, Turkey, India, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy and the United Arab Emirates. Tomorrow Ugandans in New Dehli, India are expected to return. 13 of the returnees have so far tested positive for COVID-19.

While welcoming returnees on June 23, Henry Okello Oryem the minister of state for foreign affairs noted that 300 people would be repatriated every fortnight. With a total of 853 by July 4, Uganda will have repatriated more persons than earlier anticipated.