Museveni calls South Africa’s Ramaphosa over xenophobia

President Yoweri Museveni has spoken with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over the wave of xenophobic attacks that forced more than 1,000 Ugandans to return home.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja disclosed the talks on Saturday while meeting 1,030 returnees at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi. 

The group has been undergoing orientation, rehabilitation and reintegration before returning to their families.

Nabbanja said Museveni and Ramaphosa remained in contact as Uganda sought protection for its citizens still living in South Africa.

“The two have discussed and remain in contact. You came back before the Kenyans and Tanzanians got repatriated; now they are also coming back,” Nabbanja said.

She ruled out retaliation against South Africans living or doing business in Uganda, despite calls in some African countries for action against South African interests.

“We know that there are many South Africans here, but we decided that we are not going to misbehave. President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the chairman of the East African Community, said we shall not reciprocate the acts,” she said.

Uganda completed the first phase of its voluntary repatriation exercise on Thursday after six chartered flights brought home 1,30 people. 

The final flight carried 219 evacuees from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to Entebbe International Airport. 

The operation involved Uganda Airlines, the Foreign Affairs ministry, the Office of the Prime Minister, immigration officials, the UPDF and Uganda’s diplomatic mission in South Africa. 

Before the flights, officials registered Ugandans across South Africa, moved them to safe assembly points and issued emergency travel documents to those without valid papers. Government funded the flights and worked with South African immigration authorities to clear the returnees. 

Ugandan officials have confirmed that at least three nationals died during the latest violence. The first publicly identified victim, Wilber Niwamanya, was reportedly attacked in KwaZulu-Natal and robbed of the motorcycle he used for delivery work. 

The wider regional death toll remains disputed. Mozambique said five of its citizens were killed in xenophobic attacks, although South African authorities initially confirmed only two deaths linked to violence in Mossel Bay. 

Nigeria also reported two deaths, but the circumstances and their connection to the anti-migrant unrest remained under investigation. Ghana reported one death, which South African officials disputed was linked to the protests. 

The unrest has involved attacks on foreign nationals, looting of migrant-owned businesses and campaigns demanding the removal of undocumented immigrants. 

Several African governments have evacuated citizens or protested to Pretoria. South African authorities have condemned vigilantism while promising to address illegal immigration through lawful processes. 

Nabbanja urged the returnees to rebuild their lives in Uganda and join government programmes such as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga.

“For now, we are urging you to join us in development programmes. While you were away, we progressed a lot. We are exporting much more, and your country is no longer underdeveloped; we are now middle-income,” she said.

Government has also registered returnees who lacked national identification documents to help them access public services and economic programmes after leaving Kyankwanzi.