UGANDA: Excitement as Kyagwali Catholic Community Host Members of SIGNIS
Bishop Emmanuel Addressing the Refuges
Masereka Peter
Members of SIGNIS and Catholic journalists were overwhelmed by the triumphant welcome and generosity from a Catholic refugee community in Kyagwali refugee settlement centre in Kikuube district in Uganda.
The delegation led by the Ms. Helen Osman the President for SIGNIS and Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo Diocese in Nigeria who is the president of SECAM’s Pan African Committee on Communication had earlier gathered in Kampala for a workshop on effective and efficient reporting on migrants and refugees before the tour.
Addressing the energized and excited refugees at Uganda Martyrs Catholic Church in the area, Bishop Emmanuel asked Catholic journalists from various media houses to show practical solidarity with migrants and refugees by reporting about their concerns with humility.
Bishop Emmanuel who shed tears as the excited Christian refugees welcomed them, later asked the refugees to continue trusting in the Lord who will one day respond to their concerns and lead them back to their homes as he did to the Israelites.
Rev. Fr. Prof. Walter Chikwendu Ihejirika, the President SIGNIS-Africa said as Catholic journalists, they will exploit every professional opportunity for news about migrants and refugees for purposes of publicizing their concerns.
Ms. Tophious Chali representing the office of the Prime Minister in the refugee settlement, said Kyagwali settlement which is currently hosting 131,086 refugees is faced by a number of challenges ranging from substandard services as a result of insufficient funding forced mainly by the current global economic crisis.
She called for more fund from the partners as the best way of fighting the some of the challenges including health care, education and water scarcity among others.
Mama Christine Minderil, their Church head of Laity council called for prayers and support before asking for advocacy for peace back in their home countries.
Uganda is currently hosting over 1.5 million refugees in her 28 refugee camps in various parts of the country.
