A group of 620 Congolese were on November 3, relocated to Mahama camp from Kigeme refugee camp. The Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) cited their wellbeing and the need to protect the environment among the reasons for the relocation. The refugees are moving from Nyamagabe District in the Southern Province to Kirehe District in the Eastern Province a few weeks after over 2,000 Burundian refugees who were hosted in Mahama since 2015 voluntarily repatriated to their home country. MINEMA said in a tweet that the relocation; “Is in line with protecting and improving living conditions of refugees as well as mitigating environmental degradation in and around refugee camps.” Kigeme camp hosts over 18,000 refugees who over time fled from armed conflicts fuelled by militia groups in eastern DR Congo. Before the recent repatriation, Mahama camp which is also the country’s largest refugee camp hosted over 43,500 Burundians who left their country in the midst of civil unrest triggered by late President Pierre Nkurunzizas bid for a third term in office. In July, over 300 Burundian refugees settled at Mahama appealed to President Evariste Ndayishimiye for a dignified and lawful return to their home country. The first group of 493 refugees departed on August 27. According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Rwanda is home to around 77,000 refugees from DR Congo, and 71,000 refugees from Burundi amongst others, in camps and urban centres.
