We set out to assess factors influencing movement of Somali refugees from Nakivale settlement to Kisenyi- an urban center in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Results for achieving this objective are presented thematically under each of the following specific objectives:
Assessing the living conditions of Somali refugees in Nakivale settlement
Two broad themes namely basic needs and security emerged from the data collected under this specific objective. Our results show that the need to fulfil their basic needs and ensure personal security contributes to Somalis leaving Nakivale settlement and moving to Kisenyi, Kam
Food was the first basic need mentioned by majority of the key informants interviewed. They mentioned that the food provided in the settlement is different from what the Somalis are used to eating back home and this presented a challenge. They mentioned that Somalis exchange their food rations so they can buy what they can eat.
“…There is also a lot of scramble when food rations are being distributed. The Somalis usually have problems with the food supplied. In settlements they are given posho and beans yet they are used to eating rice and meat back home. The food supplied is not what they prefer to eat so they usually exchange with other refugees for money so they can actually buy what they prefer to eat.”(KII, JRS)
The respondents in both the male and female FGD’s mentioned that they were not familiar with the food provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) and as such, struggle to consume it. Both the female and male participants had issue with the type of food being supplied and the lack of additional ingredients like oil and salt to prepare the food. It is interesting to note that one of the male participants mentioned that there is no food in Nakivale. The female participants were more vocal and detailed about what food was provided in Nakivale and what their food preference was. The female participants said that they were used to eating meat, rice and spaghetti mainly.
"We are used to eating spaghetti, rice, meat and milk so we don t know how to eat the food they give to us. When they provide us with this maize and beans it requires many other things to prepare them like fuel say charcoal oil but they don’t even give us cooking oil the money we are given too is so little”(FGD 1, females)
The second basic need mentioned was water. Officials from the OPM charged with welfare of refugees in Nakivale refugee settlement stated that the water quality is good and that it goes through water purification processes before it is distributed to refugees. It was mentioned that Nakivale has a piped water system with constant supply though they were not sure if it was adequate.
“The quality is good because it goes through the processes of purification before it is moves to the public it’s like water you get from National water. Yes, the chemicals are added in the water as purification is done as they release it to move” (KII, OPM)
From the perspective of the refugees, water quality and supply was also another challenge that they faced in the settlement and was a reason for their moving to the urban centre. The water challenge was more prominently mentioned by members in the male FGD. Safe and clean water is a basic right but in Nakivale the water seems to be a challenge for the refugees. A female participant, 30 years, mentioned that she was allergic to the water in Nakivale. Three male participants aged 22, 25 and 45 also stressed about the challenge of inadequate supply and quality of water being a motivator to relocate to the urban in search of a better life.
“….the water supply is low and is not adequate. The queue is so long that it is easier to buy.” (FDG, Male)
The third basic need mentioned was the need for better health care. An official from OPM mentioned that Nakivale settlement had reasonably good healthcare with five ambulances which took referral cases from the settlement to Mbarara regional referral hospital whenever there was need to. Another key informant mentioned that although Nakivale settlement had a health centre, it was not equipped enough to handle certain medical issues which needed specialized treatment.
“I should also mention that at least some refugees move because the health facilities in the settlement are not good. In Nakivale, there is a health centre but then you realise it’s not equipped and doesn’t have enough workers. So, if someone has a complication or a sickness that needs surgery, they can’t do it that side. So, they rather move to Kampala where they get better facilities.”(KII, RLP)
In the focus group discussions, the refugees interviewed mentioned inadequate healthcare in Nakivale refugee settlement as one of the reasons that contributed to their leaving. The issue of inadequate healthcare was raised more prominently with the female respondents more than the male respondents. Thus refugees perceived the healthcare in Nakivale to be lacking because the health centre is not equipped to handle certain health conditions for example situations where surgery might be required.
" I came here from Nakivale because I and my children were sick. We didn’t get any healthcare from Nakivale that’s why we came here, to seek medical care. And I am now diabetic. So, I can’t go back there because there is no health care, I need to stay here and get medication.”(FGD2, female)
Employment and a better standard of education was another reason why Somali refugees leave Nakivale settlement. Majority of the key informants agreed that the refugee settlement did not offer adequate jobs and that the standard of education in Nakivale is not good compared to the urban settings.
“Nakivale settlement has only one secondary school and not everyone would be accommodated there. Beyond secondary education, there is not much provision in the settlement so most of them come to Kampala to get that education” (KII, RLP).
“There is not much work to do there as it is a village setting and Somalis are not used to living in a village. Also, the life is generally not good” (KII, Chairperson SCK).
The Somali refugees in the focus group discussions mentioned that they leave Nakivale refugee settlement to find a better standard of education because the one in Nakivale is poor and not to standard. The issue of moving to Kampala in search of better standard of education was mainly stressed by the male respondents more than the female ones.
“… I came to Kisenyi Kampala because first and foremost there is no education but in Kampala there is education. In addition, you get support from Refuge Law Project and the Somali community. There is no education, no clean water in Nakivale, poor health facility and poor services and even the schools are there but very poor. Communication to our families is cut off too while in Nakivale, no internet so we come here because we can communicate to our families better. The other issue is that people in Nakivale cannot support each other everyone is struggling on his own…. ” (FGD, male).
Besides the aforementioned basic needs, security was another reason mentioned as to why Somali refugees leave Nakivale settlement for Kisenyi in Kampala. Majority of the key informants said that security in Nakivale refugee settlement was good while others intimated that a lot still had to be done. There are different types of insecurity that refugees face and may arise as a result of political persecution, cultural persecution, issues of discrimination and a need to secure themselves by keeping their registration in the settlement intact.
"..Yes, refugees flee for different reasons. Sometimes, it is because of political persecution if they are opposing the ruling government in Somalia. If they are human rights activists in Somalia and they come to Uganda, they may continue following them because they have information that may be detrimental to their government. So, they are safer moving to Kampala or being re-located to another country for their safety” ( KII, RLP)
The refugees however were not keen to discuss political persecution openly and instead took a discreet route bordering lack of protection:
".. the organisations in charge of protection do not work at all. Whenever we try to voice our issues and complaints, we get no assistance from the authorities of Nakivale settlement. So, we decide to come here although we have no support as well” ( FGD ,male).
Determining opportunities that Somali refugees exploit once they reach Kisenyi, Kampala.
Three broad themes namely; economic benefits, livelihood support and enabling policy emerged from the data collected for this specific objective. Our results show that Somali refugees exploit opportunities through economic benefits, livelihood support and through the availability of an enabling policy.
As far as economic benefits were concerned, most of the key informants intimated that by nature, Somalis are urban dwellers who tend to gravitate towards the city to exploit business opportunities that are available in Kisenyi. The Somali refugees therefore find that the incentive of a plot for agriculture in the settlement does not benefit them and would rather engage in business. As such, the Somali refugees who are not able to get opportunities in the settlement tend to relocate to the urban centre in Kisenyi where there is a wider pool of opportunities, a big customer base and market.
"If they get food to eat and where to sleep, what else? You know, because they are not going to get a hoe and dig like most of the rural populations of the African dissent, you find that as they settle down, they come to town where they can do some business since they are business oriented people. They also get some kind of social protection and support from their communities who are predominantly in Kisenyi” (KII, OPM)
The refugees held the same view as the key informants that were interviewed. The urban centre (Kisenyi) has better opportunities for them as far as business and job opportunities are concerned.
“…we talk to other Somalis who have shops and ask for jobs even if we don’t know them. We just talk and see if they can solve our problems.”(FGD1, female)
Livelihood support was another theme that emerged while determining opportunities that Somali refugees exploit when they reach Kisenyi in Kampala. Majority of the key informants mentioned that the Somali refugees benefit from the opportunity of livelihood support through exploiting opportunities that are provided by different organizations such as RLP, JRS, and NRC that support refugees in urban centres such as Kisenyi in Kampala. Some give livelihood skills while others offer medical support. The kind of support given depends on the mandate of the organization.
"Under Livelihoods we train refugees on basic skills like making necklaces for sell, art and craft, catering, baking, fashion and design. They learn tailoring, hair dressing, electronics repair and maintenance. We also give start up loans to those who have completed livelihood training and this loan is given interest free” (KII, JRS)
While a few Somali refugees reported to have benefited from opportunities offered by organizations that support urban refugees, majority of the participants in both the male and female FGD’s independently verified that they had never heard of such organisations. For those that had heard about the organisations, they were denied service because they were registered in the settlement.
"We thought we were going to get support from organisations which support refugees but unfortunately we didn’t get any. We had expectations of getting education financial support” (FGD, male)
Having an enabling refugee policy in place is the other opportunity Somali refugees exploit when they reach Kisenyi in Kampala. It should be noted that Uganda has a friendly refugee policy implemented through OPM which allows refugees freedom to exploit the available opportunities in the urban centre. This policy enables refugees to carry out their day-to-day activities without unnecessary interference. Furthermore, OPM plays a vital role of providing necessary refugee documentation that allows refugees to go about their business in the urban centre and also provides them with protection.
“We have a comprehensive refugee response framework in place. It was adopted after the new declaration on refugees and migrants. Out of it, we are expanding our integrated planning for refugees in the host communities. When you look at the NDP III, even NDP II, refugee components were considered in national planning. I think under the NDP, it is more elaborate so you will find that in terms of planning, we are encouraging for example districts or city authorities to do comprehensive planning like taking care of even the urban refugees into their planning.”(KII, OPM).
The refugees on their part mentioned that the government provided them with security and freedom of movement. These are two important aspects why Uganda is favoured as a refugee destination because there are many countries where refugees are restricted to particular areas and not allowed to move. Once a refugee is properly documented in Uganda their freedom of movement is unrestricted under the Refugees Act, 2006. Such enabling policies ensure that the refugees are able to enjoy their rights in Uganda. A participant from the FGD (female) mentioned that refugees in Uganda enjoy freedom of movement:
“I take Uganda as my second country; no other country is like Uganda. Kenya is our neighbour but they are the worst country in the world because they behave badly. The corruption is high in that they will arrest you and ask you for money. In Uganda, it is peaceful with no corruption and so Somalis move freely when they go to Kampala. That’s why they even move away from here [Nakivale]” (FGD, Female).
Investigating the role of Somali ethnic support networks in assisting refugees when they get to Kisenyi-Kampala
One broad theme namely; nature of the Somali community emerged under this third specific objective. Our results show that the nature of the Somali community is what helps Somali refugees assist each other in Kisenyi.
Majority of the key informants mentioned that the Somali community is quite different from other refugee communities. Their community is a closed one, they keep to themselves and do not mix with other communities. Their community practices Islam and follows their own cultural norms which are quite different from other communities. They have a culture of helping their own and don’t have to be related to help each other. The mere fact that one is Somali is enough to receive help from another Somali who is in position to help. Despite their society being a closed one, the Somali community has continued to thrive because their support systems are very strong.
"… the social-cultural-religious ties they have within the community here are really good. You find that they are very attached to each other and they are a very closed society that depend on each other even in terms of businesses and protection”(KII,OPM)