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From outsider to the other : refugee identity, citizenship, and development in Nakivale, Uganda, 1969-2022
(Dialogue on African Development.. Nairobi: CEDRED Publications, 2026-08) Tunanukye, Nicholas; Kaboggoza, Joseph; Jepkemboi, Anne
This chapter interrogates the dynamics of exclusion through a historical study of Nakivale Refugee Settlement in southwestern Uganda, one of Africa's oldest and largest refugee settlements. The study has been prompted by the fact that Africa's development trajectory has been profoundly shaped by the movement of peoples across political borders, yet refugee populations remain among the continent's most systematically excluded constituencies. Uganda's 2006 Refugee Act is internationally celebrated as a model of progressive humanitarianism, granting refugees rights to work, move freely, and access services. Yet the lived experiences of Nakivale's residents reveal a persistent paradox: formal inclusion coexists with substantive exclusion. Refugees are incorporated into development frameworks as beneficiaries but remain spatially segregated, politically marginalised, and socially "othered" by the very institutional architecture designed to integrate them. Drawing on archival research and oral history interviews, this chapter traces how colonial administrative legacies, post-independence citizenship regimes, and evolving humanitarian architectures have reproduced this paradox. Employing Individual Agency Theory, the study foregrounds refugee agency alongside structural constraint, documenting how displaced populations have challenged dominant identity constructions and negotiated belonging across generations. It contributes to three debates central to the conference theme: historically, it repositions refugee settlement as a constitutive feature of post-colonial state formation; in the present, it demonstrates how development interventions that ignore historical roots of exclusion risk reproducing the inequalities they seek to address; and for the future, it advances recommendations that move beyond formal rights toward genuine citizenship recognition by repositioning refugees not as burdens on development, but as active co-producers of it.
Understanding the epidemiology of Ebola Bundibugyo virus (EBV) in selected populations: a cross-sectional study in Buhendera and Bwamba counties, Bundibugyo district.
(Student’s Journal of Health Research Africa, 2026-06-11) Nzanzu, Twalibu J.; Nanyonga, Sarah Kiwanuka; Tinzara, William; Salum, Seif Salum; Twesigye, Charles K.; Mugenyi, Harriet; Tugume, Geoffrey
Background:
Bundibugyo district has an estimated population of 224,387 people. Ebola Bundibugyo was first identified in 2007, leaving
over 150 people infected and over fifty-six deaths recorded, giving 40% fatality rate.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional study was carried out in the six study sites, selected from each county. Risk factors, distribution,
endemicity, and mode of action and transmission of this strain were examined. Risk factors, distribution, and endemicity
were assessed using systematic sampling, mode of action, and transmission, and the anatomy was examined using the WHO
standards of Automated or semi-automated nucleic acid tests (NAT) and antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay (ELISA).
Results:
This research examines the general epidemiology of Ebola Bundibugyo among selected populations in Bughendera and
Bwamba counties in Bundibugyo district. Bundibugyo had high cases, although these were not from the place where the
first case was reported. The virus spread through movements, followed by Kasitu, who is believed to have reported the first
case, Harugale, Busaru, Bubukwanga, Nduguto, and Karugutu. The majority of males (58.6%) said that they were involved
in activities like collecting fruits from the forests, including hunting 41.4% were female who remained home waiting to cook
what their male counterparts had brought from the forest. 72.2% reported that their relatives did not have access to the
medical facilities. This indicates that healthcare facility accessibility was significantly related to EBV.
Conclusion:
The Ebola-Bundibugyo strain had a high fatality rate at 40%. The study revealed that cultural risk factors were more
responsible for this distribution and severity of EBV.
Recommendations:
Ebola preventive messages should be incorporated into the routine health education scripts of the Ministry of Health of
Uganda and the East African countries.
The effect of wetland use and cover changes on plant diversity in Masese-budhumbuli wetland, Jinja city, eastern Uganda
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2025-11) Namatovu, Faridah
Wetlands are vital for sustaining local livelihoods and providing essential ecosystem services. However, in Uganda, unsustainable wetland use has led to significant degradation. Some wetland plant species are resilient to environmental stresses including changes in land use and land cover. There is limited knowledge about the extent of wetland use and cover changes in the Masese-Budhumbuli wetland and how plant species adapt to these changes. The study aimed to assess the effect of wetland use and cover changes on plant diversity in Masese-Budhumbuli wetland, Jinja City, Eastern Uganda. The study examined the extent and drivers of wetland use and cover changes; determined the effect of wetland use and cover changes on plant diversity; and assessed the ecological resilience of plants to wetland use and cover changes. Satellite images for the years (1993, 2003, 2013 and 2023) utilized. Unsupervised classification was employed to analyze the magnitude of wetland use and cover changes. Plant species data was collected and identified from the Makerere University Herbarium. Multi-criteria decision analysis was applied to evaluate the ecological resilience of plant species in response to wetland use and cover changes. To understand the drivers of wetland, use and cover changes and the plant species resilient to disturbances, household interviews, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions were conducted. The findings revealed that substantial changes in wetland use and cover, with farmlands (33.2%) built-up areas (7.4%) and tree plantations (2%) increasing, while grasslands (17.7%) and papyrus (26.1%) declined significantly. Key factors contributing to wetland use and cover changes included the development of industries and housing, rapid urban growth, rising poverty levels, population pressure, and increased crop farming. Changes in wetland use and cover had no statistically significant effect on plant diversity (P > 0.05). A total of 103 plant species were recorded mostly herbs showing high ecological resilience. The correlation between wetland use and cover changes and ecological resilience established to be was weak but statistically significant (P<0.05). Cyperus papyrus, Rubia cordifolia, and Digitaria scalarum were perceived by communities to be mostly resilient to wetland use and cover changes. The study concludes that despite the wetland use and cover changes, plant diversity remained largely unaffected, suggesting a degree of ecological stability in the wetland. The study recommends periodic monitoring of plant diversity, creation of wetland buffer zones, and restoration of degraded wetland sections.
Contribution of selected street foods towards dietary trans fatty acid intake for adults in Kawempe division
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2025-11) Nakayaga, Claire
Total fat and trans fatty acids (TFA) affect blood lipoprotein profiles, promote inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, and are risk factors of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. This study assessed the consumption rates, total fats and TFA of the street foods; fried chicken, pancakes, potato chips, chapattis and fish obtained from Makerere, Wandegeya and Bwaise in Kawempe Division with the view to establishing the contribution of street foods towards dietary TFA intake. Data on consumption rates of street foods were collected using validated and pretested questionnaires. A total of 30 samples of deep-fried street foods and used frying oil were analyzed for total fat and TFA. Total fat content was determined by extraction with n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus. Trans fatty acids were determined as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) using gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). More male participants (52.8%) consumed street foods than females (47.2%). Shallow-fried chapatti was the most consumed food followed by potato chips while deep-fried chapatti was the least consumed. The total fat content ranged from 6.8 to 18.3%. Street foods from Bwaise contained more total fat than those from Makerere and Wandegeya. Fried chicken contained more total fat, followed by potato chips, fried fish and pancakes. Twenty-four fatty acids (FA) were detected in the deep-fried foods while 23 FA were detected in used frying oils. Palmitic acid (16:0) and stearic acid (18:0), and oleic acid (18:1ω9) and linoleic acid (18:2ω6), were predominant saturated and unsaturated FA, respectively. All frying oils analyzed in this study tested positive for TFA (linoelaidic (C18:2ω6t) and elaidic (C18:1ω9t) acids). Linoelaidic acid was the dominant TFA. Individual food items showed no risk concern; however, the aggregate effect of TFA in the different foods was definite for women in Makerere. Public health education and awareness campaigns for both street food vendors and consumers are recommended to reduce dietary trans fatty acid exposure.
Teacher-parent collaboration on the development of life skills among children with autism: a case of dorna centre, Kampala – Uganda
(Kyambogo University (Unpublished work), 2025-11) Nakawesa, Swabra
This study explored teacher-parent collaboration in the development of life skills among children with autism at the Dorna Centre Home for Autism in Kampala, Uganda. The research was motivated by the recognition that children with autism often require intensive, consistent, and coordinated support across school and home to acquire essential life skills for independent functioning. Given the limited empirical understanding of this collaboration, the study sought to find out the specific social and daily living skills provided, explore the strategies used for collaboration, identify the facilitating factors, and examine the challenges faced. A qualitative research approach using an exploratory case study design was employed, involving ten teachers and ten parents purposively selected from the Centre. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, document review, and non-participant observation, and was analysed thematically. The findings revealed that both teachers and parents actively contributed to developing skills such as communication, self-care, emotional regulation, and interpersonal interaction. Collaborative strategies employed included consistent communication, regular meetings, joint planning, and shared goal-setting. The study established that factors like mutual respect, commitment to children's progress, positive attitudes, and school administration support greatly enhanced effective collaboration. However, several challenges were identified, including limited time, inadequate resources, differing expectations, and communication barriers stemming from a lack of technical autism knowledge. The study concluded that teacher-parent collaboration is a critical determinant of successful life skills development among children with autism. Nonetheless, systemic and interpersonal challenges continue to hinder optimal collaboration. The study recommends the establishment of structured communication channels, the provision of regular capacity-building sessions on autism management, and increased resource allocation. It further calls for the development of clear institutional policies to promote inclusive partnerships and a shared understanding of roles. Strengthening this collaboration is essential for improving learning outcomes and advancing inclusive education practices in Uganda.