The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) has revealed that the number of people entering Uganda from Kenya has more than doubled in the last three days.
This comes just hours before general elections in neighbouring Kenya on Tuesday August 09, 2022.
Four candidates are contesting for president including the Deputy President William Ruto,55, Opposition strongman William Ruto, 77, David Mwaure in his sixth attempt and Law professor George Wajackoyah.
However, the numbers trickling into Uganda are three times higher especially at Busia and Lwakhakha borders.
Simon Peter Mundeyi the spokesperson for the ministry of internal affairs, says the DCIC has received any influx entering Uganda as compared to those exiting. He however says it remains unclear why people are fleeing the neighbouring country.
Mundeyi is reluctant to attribute the influx to the general elections scheduled for tomorrow.
Basing on what transpired in 2007 where a presidential election contest between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga turned violent and chaotic and resulted in the death of over 1,000 people, there is fear that the same skirmishes could occur as Raila faces off with William Ruto.
Meanwhile, the Senior Commissioner of Police- SCP Fred Enanga, says security has been beefed up at the border points at the Uganda-Kenya side to secure safety of citizens living in such areas in case the elections turn chaotic.
“But as you are aware, this week our counterparts in Kenya will vote for the fifth president in a contest that is very tight. Although we don’t anticipate civil unrest, we continue to pay close attention to the electoral climate. We have a contingency team in place in case of such scenarios.” Enanga says
During the 2007 elections in Kenya, over 12,000 Kenyan refugees fled unrest in Kenya through areas of Tororo, Manafwa, Busia and Bukwo districts.
This led to the Ugandan authorities and United National High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) setting up camps for the refugees.