The Parliamentary Committee on Presidential Affairs has questioned the government’s readiness to open a proposed refugee settlement in Kitgum, citing gaps in basic infrastructure, including water, sanitation and health services.
Committee Chairperson Hon. Martin Ojara Mapenduzi has asked the Ministry for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees to provide a clear breakdown of the funding available for the project and a timeline for completing the outstanding facilities.
Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Hon. Sam Engola told the committee that refugees will not be moved to the settlement until essential facilities, particularly toilets and reliable water sources, are in place. He said plans include the provision of five boreholes, with additional support expected from development partners.
The proposed settlement follows an agreement between the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and landowners in Labongo Amida West Sub-county.
In March 2026, OPM signed a 20-year Memorandum of Understanding with three landlords to make land available for refugee hosting. The arrangement was reached after consultations and a land verification exercise that began in 2024.
However, the land measurements have also been subject to clarification. While local proposals initially put the available land at about 1,000 acres, a Ministry of Lands survey conducted in June and July 2025 established that the land in Amida West measured 449 acres. The land was agreed to be loaned to government for 20 years rather than sold.
This figure is slightly different from the 490 acres cited in the latest parliamentary discussion, making verification of the final gazetted settlement area an important part of the preparation
The proposed Kitgum settlement is also linked to growing pressure on existing refugee-hosting areas in northern Uganda.
Local leaders have reported that more than 10,000 urban refugees are living in Kitgum without a formal settlement arrangement, putting additional pressure on health, education and environmental services.
The proposed settlement is also expected to ease pressure on Palabek Refugee Settlement in neighbouring Lamwo District, which had originally been planned for about 40,000 refugees but had reached 96,269 refugees by January 31, 2026, according to data cited by Uganda Radio Network.
Kitgum District’s health system is already under pressure. According to the district administration, Kitgum General Hospital has a 100-bed capacity but serves close to 400 patients, while also receiving patients from neighbouring Lamwo, Pader, Agago and Karenga districts.
This has heightened questions about whether the proposed settlement should receive refugees before dedicated health and sanitation facilities are operational.
Water remains one of the immediate infrastructure concerns.
Kitgum District reported in March that it had handed over contracts for the drilling of five deep boreholes in Labong Amida and Labong Akwang, with the projects valued at about Shs134.4 million. District officials said the works were intended to improve access to clean water in water-stressed communities.
The boreholes therefore form part of the wider water infrastructure needed as the area prepares for refugee hosting.
The Kitgum development comes as government prepares to roll out the second phase of the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP II).
According to Parliament, the US$328 million five-year programme is scheduled to begin in October 2026 and will target about three million refugees and members of host communities in 14 refugee-hosting districts.
The programme is intended to support social and economic services, infrastructure, livelihoods, environmental management and community resilience.
However, Mapenduzi has also demanded accountability for incomplete projects under the first phase of DRDIP. He asked the ministry to provide Parliament with details of unfinished projects, implementation costs and the reasons for delays before moving fully into the second phase.
Refugee verification exercise underway
The government and the UNHCR have meanwhile launched a nationwide refugee verification exercise that began on September 7, 2026.
The Office of the Prime Minister says the exercise is intended to establish a more accurate refugee population figure and improve planning, resource allocation and service delivery to both refugees and host communities.
Government currently estimates that Uganda hosts about 2.3 million refugees, although the population changes as new arrivals enter the country and others return home.
The verification exercise could therefore provide important data for determining the number of refugees to be accommodated in new settlements such as the proposed facility in Kitgum.
With land arrangements in place, water projects planned and refugee numbers continuing to place pressure on existing settlements, the immediate issue before Parliament is whether the proposed Kitgum site can provide adequate basic services before refugees are transferred there.
The Presidential Affairs Committee is seeking a clear funding plan, completion timetable and confirmation that water, sanitation and health facilities will be operational before relocation begins.
For now, Minister Engola has indicated that refugees will not be moved until the required basic facilities are in place.
