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The National Assembly Regional Development Committee has been told the Department for Refugee Services is facing the challenge of insufficient budgetary allocation.
Appearing before the Committee chaired by Hon. Peter Lochakapong (Sigor), the Commissioner for Refugee Services, Mr. John Burugu underscored the implication of underfunding stating that the Department is unable to execute its mandate well and even implement the scheme of service for refugee management officers.
He added that the Department has read-only access with limited rights to the progress refugee database system which is controlled by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
According to Mr. Burugu, the information contained in the database is very sensitive and can be used with the border management system to seal loopholes for international criminals seeking asylum and also posing as refugees while monitoring their movement.
βWe are usually embarrassed by the organizations seeking information on the refugees because we have to refer them to UNHCR,β Mr. Burugu said.
Further, he informed the Committee that out of 496 members, 398 officers are contracted by UNHCR to conduct registration, documentation and protection of refugees. This leaves only 98 officers employed by the Government.
Hon. Charo Kazungu (Ganze) sought to know whether there were plans in place to repatriate refugees back to their countries.
In response, Mr. Burugu said that the Department receives applications for seizure of refugees and together with UNHCR that they repatriate some of them.
