Authorities in Lainya County of Central Equatoria State are reporting an influx of voluntary returnees from the refugee camps in neighboring Uganda in September and October.
Lainya County commissioner Emmanuel Khamis Richard told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the returnees mostly women, children, and elderly are currently settled within their communities in Kenyi Payam of Lainya County.
He said the returnees are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance to restart their livelihoods in the villages.
Khamis is calling on the government and humanitarian organizations to extend relief support to the vulnerable population.
“In the recent two months, there has been an influx of voluntary returnees from various refugee camps in Uganda back into their areas of origin in the Payams of Lainya County. So far, our statistics of registered voluntary returnees has reached 317 households,” he said. “I have directed the RRC coordinator in the county to ensure that all returnees are tracked on arrival and registered through their chiefs so that we have complete data.”
Commissioner Khamis revealed that they are in talks with partners to provide shelter, clean drinking water, and health centers and to reopen schools closed during the civil wars.
He stated that returnees came back after the security situation improved in the county and the harsh living conditions in the refugee camps.
For his part, Lokule Moses, a returnee from Rhino camp told Radio Tamazuj that he and his family decided to return home following the reduction of food rations in the camp.
He said although he settled in Kenyi Payam, access to food, clean water, health care, and education remains a challenge in the county.
“We need improved health services like the provision of better medical services because the population is increasing. There is a need for the provision of clean water sources for the people here and since we are coming to the dry season, we need agricultural farm inputs including seeds and tools so that we can go back into agricultural food production by next year,” he appealed.