DRC REFUGEES PETITION PARLIAMENT OVER 34 ALLEGED DEATHS IN UGANDA: Congolese Refugees Petition Parliament Over Reported Killings, Disappearances And Insecurity In Kyaka II Settlement

Congolese refugees living in Uganda have petitioned Parliament over what they describe as a growing human rights and security crisis affecting refugees, including 34 reported deaths that they say require urgent and independent investigation.

The comprehensive petition, dated July 20, 2026, was submitted to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth Oboth by representatives of Congolese refugees in Uganda.

The petition raises concerns over alleged killings, disappearances, insecurity and other forms of mistreatment of refugees, particularly those living in Kyaka II refugee settlement.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Uganda, the Office of the Inspectorate of Government, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations, European Union, Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, diplomatic missions and international human rights organisations to urgently investigate the allegations.

The report, seen by The Investigator, contains a preliminary list of 34 reported deaths compiled from complaints by refugees, relatives and other representatives.

The petitioners, however, stress that the list is not presented as proof of criminal responsibility.

“We urgently call upon the Office of IGG, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations, the European Union, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, diplomatic missions and international human rights organisations to take immediate action concerning serious reports of deaths and insecurity affecting refugees in Uganda,” the petition states.

The group says the preliminary list was compiled following reports of missing persons and information provided by relatives of the alleged victims.

“We therefore call for an impartial investigation to verify every name, date, cause of death and surrounding circumstances,” the petitioners say.

34 deaths reported

The alleged deaths are particularly significant because Uganda hosts one of Africa’s largest refugee populations, with Congolese refugees forming one of the biggest refugee communities in the country.

The petition cites concerns about the safety of refugees who, after fleeing conflict and insecurity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, expect Uganda to provide protection and humanitarian assistance.

According to the petition, the 34 reported cases predominantly involve Congolese refugees, although cases involving refugees identified as Rwandan and Burundian are also included.

The petitioners argue that the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be established through independent examination of police records, medical records, post-mortem reports, death certificates and testimony from relatives and witnesses.

They also want authorities to investigate reports of missing refugees and establish whether those reported missing may be among the deceased.

The petition therefore stops short of making a definitive finding that the individuals were unlawfully killed or that a particular person, government agency or institution was responsible.

Instead, it demands that competent authorities establish what happened to each person.

Names contained in the submitted list

A photograph of part of the report attached to the petition shows a table headed “List of executed refugees in Uganda.” The visible page contains 14 names from the larger list of 34 reported cases.

The document itself cautions that the names and circumstances are allegations requiring independent verification and that it does not make a finding of criminal responsibility against any individual or institution.

The names visible on the attached page are:

1. Nyramzai­re Dorcas — DRC — reported date of death: 26 May 2026
2. Aliet Asina — DRC — reported date of death: 26 June 2026
3. Nyararukundo Sumaya — Rwanda — reported date of death: 2016
4. Niyonzi­ma Eric — Rwanda — reported date of death: 2010
5. Josephine Rusimbuka — DRC — reported date of death: 10 December 2025
6. Akonkwa Bisheni — DRC — reported date of death: 18 February 2026
7. Nzindulule Bisheni — DRC — reported date of death: 18 February 2026
8. Namahuno Husanganya — DRC — reported date of death: 18 February 2026
9. Alin Ashuze — DRC — reported date of death: 18 February 2026
10. Regire Ivele — DRC — reported date of death: 18 February 2026
11. Shukulu Ivele — DRC — reported date of death: 18 March 2026
12. Musanganya Ivele — DRC — reported date of death: 18 March 2026
13. Maombi — DRC — reported date of death: 18 February 2026
14. Rosire Ngoy — DRC — reported date of death: 12 March 2026
15. Mahirew Theophile – DR- reported date of death: 17^thJune 2026

16: Ramazan Rajab – DRC – reported date death: 29^thMarch 20225

17: Mary Katushabe – DRC – reported date of death: 9^thAugust 2026

18: Paul Ondeze – DRC – reported date of death: 9^thAugust 2026

19: Rodrig Nicholas – DRC – reported date of death 11^thMarch 2026

20: Claude Hakiza Ishara – DRC – reported date of death 26^thMay 2026

21: Murundi Cobra – Burundi – reported date of death 22^ndAugust 2026

22: Iragi Michael – DRC – reported date of death 14^thJune 2026

23: Non-Identified Refugee in Nakivaale reported date of death 11^thJune 2026

24: Bagosize Celestine – DRC – reported date of death 10^thNovember 2024

25: Jibia Nema – DRC –reported date of death 10^thNovember 2024

26: Prof Gaby – DRC – reported date of death

27: Frank Masudi – DRC – reported date of death 6^thSeptember 2025

28: Habimana George – Burundi – reported date death 11^thNovember 2025

29: Ndizeye Gilbert – DRC – reported date of death 8^thAugust 2026

30: Bitega Faustin – DRC – reported date of death 13^thJuly 2026

31: Kagame Ruben – DRC – reported date of death 15^thJune 2026

32: Nyota Mengha – DRC – reported date of death 15^thMarch 2026

33: Vianey Mutsuni – DRC – reported date of death 13^thMarch 2026

34: Saidi Sadam – DRC – reported date of death 9^thApril 2026

The photograph represents only the visible portion of the report and does not contain all 34 names. Some of the names and details in the table are also difficult to read because of the official stamp over the document. They should therefore be treated as names appearing in an allegation requiring verification, rather than confirmed records of unlawful execution.

Refugees demand answers

The petitioners say the alleged deaths cannot be considered in isolation from wider concerns about the security of refugees.

They argue that refugees fleeing conflict are particularly vulnerable because they often have limited access to legal protection, financial resources and political influence.

The group wants the Government of Uganda and international agencies responsible for refugee protection to establish whether there are systematic security failures within refugee settlements.

“We are deeply concerned that refugee communities may be facing recurring security threats that have not received adequate independent scrutiny,” the petition states.

The petition also raises historical allegations concerning Rwandan refugees in Uganda.

According to the petitioners, allegations concerning the deaths of Rwandan refugees were reportedly raised during proceedings before the General Military Court Martial at Makindye involving former Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura and others.

The refugee representatives refer to allegations circulating within refugee communities that approximately 152 refugees were reportedly killed during the relevant period.

But the petitioners themselves acknowledge that the figure and allegations require verification.

They call for investigators to examine official court records, police records, death records and other independent evidence before drawing conclusions.

The group argues that even where individual allegations cannot immediately be substantiated, the complaints should not simply be dismissed because they could point to wider protection failures.

Call for international intervention

The refugees have consequently widened their appeal beyond Uganda’s domestic institutions.

They want the OHCHR, United Nations, European Union, Democratic Republic of Congo government, diplomatic missions and international human rights organisations to independently examine the allegations.

The petitioners say international involvement is necessary to strengthen public confidence in any investigation and ensure that complaints involving vulnerable refugee communities are handled impartially.

They are also seeking accountability for any person found to have violated the rights of refugees.

At the same time, the petition calls for stronger protection measures to prevent further insecurity while investigations are conducted.

The appeal comes against the background of Uganda’s long-standing role as a major host country for refugees from countries affected by conflict and political instability.

For many Congolese refugees, Uganda has been a place of safety after fleeing violence in eastern DRC.

The petitioners argue that this responsibility creates an obligation to ensure that refugees are not exposed to further threats after crossing the border.

Parliament under pressure

By submitting the petition to the Speaker of Parliament, the refugee representatives are seeking political and institutional intervention.

They want Parliament to ensure that the allegations are properly investigated and that responsible government institutions account for their handling of refugee security.

The petition also places the issue before Uganda’s wider human rights and accountability framework, including the Inspectorate of Government.

The central demand is not simply for authorities to accept the allegations, but to establish the truth.

That includes determining whether the people listed actually died, the circumstances surrounding their deaths, whether their deaths were reported to authorities, whether post-mortem examinations were conducted and whether relatives received official explanations.

The investigation would also need to establish whether any of the reported deaths were connected to criminal activity, personal disputes, insecurity, conflict within refugee communities or other causes.

For the refugee representatives, such answers are essential because uncertainty surrounding missing persons and unexplained deaths can deepen fear among refugee communities.

The petition therefore presents the 34 cases as a matter requiring urgent scrutiny rather than as a concluded finding of mass killings.

A test for refugee protection

The allegations, if independently substantiated, would raise serious questions about the protection of refugees in Uganda.

But even where individual claims are ultimately found to be inaccurate, the petition highlights the importance of transparent investigations whenever refugee communities report missing people, unexplained deaths or threats to their safety.

The petitioners say the international community should examine whether the historical allegations and current complaints point to broader weaknesses in refugee protection.

Their appeal is ultimately for an evidence-based process capable of distinguishing verified cases from unsubstantiated claims and, where violations are established, ensuring accountability.

For now, the 34 reported deaths remain allegations awaiting independent verification.

The names contained in the report should therefore not be treated as a definitive list of people unlawfully executed in Uganda until authorities establish the identity, cause and circumstances of each reported death.

But by putting the allegations before Parliament and calling in Uganda’s accountability institutions and international organisations, the Congolese refugee representatives have demanded that the complaints be investigated rather than allowed to disappear into the wider humanitarian crisis.

Their message is clear: every missing person must be accounted for, every reported death independently verified, and every allegation of abuse investigated

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Stephen Kasozi Muwambi

Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]

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