Ugandans stranded in China over Covid-19 have dismissed government claim that they refused to come back home.
In a statement issued on Wednesday,State minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem said Ugandans in China were not among the 2,392 persons on the ministry’s list of potential returnees because they ‘were not ready to face poverty’ in the East African country.
“Even if they (Ugandans abroad) come back, they will come into poverty. And if they come back, no one will welcome them back into their homes and they will also have nothing to do,” Mr Oryem said.
“These Ugandans in the beginning wanted to come back because the Chinese were mistreating them but once [Foreign Affairs] Minister Sam Kuteesa met the Chinese Ambassador and sorted out the issues, they didn’t want to come back.”
Mr Oryem further said when the Ugandans in China realised the Covid-19 situation was changing, they decided not to come back.
However, according to KFM radio station, a section of Ugandans stranded in China have dismissed the claim accusing the government of failing them. They also revealed that they are currently jobless and discriminated against with nothing to eat. They insist that they want to be repatriated to Uganda.
One of them, Derick Kyeyune, says that he has a pregnant wife who is due any time but does not have money for hospital bills asking the government to come to their rescue.
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