Lira City Leaders Raise Alarm Over Influx of Undocumented Foreigners

Leaders in Lira City have expressed deep concerns about a growing number of undocumented foreigners settling in the area. Primarily from Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, these individuals often pose as students or dependents.

During a regional meeting last Tuesday at Margarita Palace Hotel, organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Department of National Citizenship and Immigration Control, stakeholders highlighted the issue. Lira City Mayor Sam Atul noted that while refugees fleeing hardship are welcome, many bypass immigration procedures, overburdening schools, hospitals, and housing while complicating security efforts.

School administrator Moses Felix Olal from Davinah Junior School reported numerous foreign pupils lacking official documents. North Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson SP Jimmy Patrick Okema explained that police action is limited until the Office of the Prime Minister identifies these urban refugees.

Assistant Commissioner Robert Kato Kahwa pointed to Lira’s status as a business hub attracting irregular migration, smuggling, and trafficking. He linked the influx to regional conflicts, job prospects, education, trade, and porous borders that immigration cannot fully monitor.

Government efforts include modernizing border controls with automation, one-stop posts, and systems like MIDA and INTERPOL-linked databases to track and intercept flagged individuals.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)