It was easy to see the frustration on the face of Disaster Preparedness Minister Hillary Onek as he addressed journalists at the government media center in Kampala. “If it was a jungle law I would kick them out physically long time ago. But since there is no jungle law here they say the books are there, the lawyers are there dressed in a wig, they protect all these fellows so what can I do?” Said, Hillary Onek – Minister for Disaster Preparedness.

Donors tasked his office to explain the irregularities that came from a whistle blower’s report that alleged numbers of refugees had been inflated while graft and trafficking refugees were also taking place for over a year. Onek said they would have answers for the public in the next three weeks. “For one-month maximum, now it’s only remaining three weeks and we want them to come with a report.” With the graft reports, the actual number of foreigners now calling Uganda home is subject to debate.

Uganda officially has 1.4 million refugees and that number grows every day with refugees streaming in from DRC, South Sudan, and some Burundians. There is a worry that resources are currently strained and the population in the country will grow if it takes in more refugees. But amidst that challenge and a heavy funding from International actors, local accountability measures are being called into action. The sharpest and the most glorifying credential on the foreign policy books of Uganda is that it the most receptive country for refugees all across the world. Now that fact has come under sharp criticism and sharp investigation as the officials of the OPM are accused of embezzlement, fraud, and trafficking of refugees.