Ugandan Parliament endorses two candidates for the East African Legislative Assembly

The Ugandan Members of Parliament endorsed Stella Kiryowa and Fred Rwakaizi Bangumya to fill Uganda’s two vacant seats in the East African Legislative Assembly.

The two candidates are replacing Dennis Namara ( the MP from the Buyaga West County) and James Kakooza (who represent Older Persons, Central Region), who have now been elected to serve in the Uganda’s 12th Parliament.

The Deputy Speaker of Ugandan National Assembly, Thomas Tayebwa, said the two EALA nominees are not sitting Members of Parliament and therefore must be scrutinized to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements for election to the regional Parliament.

The Verification Committee must first be approved by Parliament.

In another development, the Ugandan Parliament says the country has concluded the first phase of its largest recent voluntary repatriation exercise from South Africa.

Kampala has brought home 1,102 Ugandan nationals who sought government assistance following escalating xenophobic violence, anti-immigrant protests and deteriorating security conditions in South Africa.

The operation, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Uganda High Commission in Pretoria, Uganda Airlines, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and several government agencies, culminated in the arrival of the final charter flight carrying 219 Ugandans at Entebbe International Airport on 9–10 July 2026, officially closing Phase One of the humanitarian mission.

The successful evacuation represents one of Uganda’s most significant consular interventions in recent years, underscoring the increasingly complex responsibilities governments face in protecting citizens living and working abroad amid rising political instability, migration pressures and anti-foreigner sentiment.

Yet while the safe return of more than a thousand Ugandans has been widely welcomed, the operation has also reignited debate over Uganda’s migration governance, the welfare of migrant workers, and Parliament’s oversight of the country’s consular protection systems.

The evacuation was triggered by a resurgence of xenophobic unrest and anti-immigrant violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals, including Ugandans, reported intimidation, attacks on businesses, displacement and growing insecurity.

Ugandan authorities confirmed that the deteriorating security environment, including reports that at least one Ugandan national lost his life during the violence, prompted the Government to organize a voluntary evacuation for citizens wishing to return home.

Unlike emergency evacuations driven by armed conflict or natural disasters, Uganda’s intervention was entirely voluntary, targeting citizens who considered remaining in South Africa unsafe or economically untenable.

The Government fully financed the charter flights, largely operated by Uganda Airlines, transporting returnees from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Entebbe.

The evacuation evolved rapidly. When registration began in late June, approximately 746 Ugandans had initially enlisted for voluntary return through the Uganda High Commission in Pretoria.