Tayebwa Calls for Stronger Oversight of Refugee Funds Amid Global Aid Cuts

What the report says

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has called on Ugandan legislators to step up oversight of refugee programmes and improve accountability for funds directed to refugees, citing pressure from declining international humanitarian support. The remarks, reported by the Nile Post, were made on Wednesday in Kampala during the opening of a capacity-building workshop for members of the Parliamentary Forum on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.

Tayebwa said Parliament has a role not only in passing laws but also in checking how refugee resources are used and whether policies are being implemented effectively. He argued that Uganda must continue to uphold its open-door approach to people fleeing conflict and persecution, while also ensuring that host communities and refugee-hosting districts receive enough support to maintain essential services and local development.

According to the report, Uganda remains one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting countries, with arrivals largely coming from neighbouring states affected by conflict and instability. Tayebwa also urged continued coordination among Parliament, the Office of the Prime Minister, the parliamentary forum and development partners to build more sustainable refugee responses.

The broader context is the strain on aid budgets across many humanitarian settings. In Uganda, that makes transparency, planning and support for local service delivery more important, especially in districts carrying the burden of large refugee populations.