Thousands of Burundians who fled their country in 2015 to seek refuge in neighboring countries due to political and security crisis in the country are now returning home after spending half a decade on foreign soil.
Authorities announced the repatriation of about 120 Burundian refugees from Uganda, late on Monday.
Minister of interior, public security and community development, Gervais Ndirakobuca, told reporters that a second batch of refugees is expected tomorrow, December 17.
Ndirakobuca called on residents to welcome the returning refugees from the Nakivale refugee camp and Ugandan capital Kampala.
He said the repatriation effort was conducted in collaboration with Ugandan authorities and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
According to the UNHCR data, over 90,000 refugees have been repatriated from Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months.
