‘Uganda likes refugees too much’: domestic narratives on refugee protection

Abstract

As one of the largest hosts of refugees in Africa and globally, Uganda has been studied from a variety of perspectives. However, one major research gap is the domestic political role of refugees in Uganda—how are refugees considered in domestic narratives, and to what political gain? We show that two dominant, politically influential positive narratives focus on the benefits of community development and shared Pan-African identity. These narratives are especially impactful at the local level, where economic gains from supporting refugees often translate into political capital. Negative narratives do exist, but focus more on perceived deprivations for Ugandans, not on blaming refugees. Political elites only give limited attention to concerns like security, land, and environmental degradation, as positive narratives on refugee protection offer greater political capital. The paper draws on a variety of data, including parliamentary debates and newspapers sources in addition to interviews and focus group discussions.