Uganda, home to Africa’s largest refugee population, is facing mounting criticism after agreeing to take in migrants rejected by the United States under a deal linked to the Trump administration.
The East African nation’s foreign ministry confirmed last week that it had reached a “temporary arrangement” with Washington to accept deported migrants “who may not be granted asylum in the United States but are reluctant to or may have concerns about returning to their countries of origin.”
Opposition leaders quickly denounced the agreement, warning it bypasses parliamentary oversight and undermines Uganda’s national interests. “The whole scheme stinks,” said Mathias Mpuuga, former leader of the opposition in Uganda’s national assembly, in an interview with the Associated Press.
Under the deal, Uganda has set specific conditions: it will not accept individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors, and it “prefers” that deportees be from African countries. Critics argue this clause could complicate US efforts to expel certain non-African migrants, including Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose deportation to Uganda has already been blocked by a US court amid claims he fears persecution.
Uganda is the fourth African nation to strike such a deal, following Rwanda, South Sudan, and Eswatini. The move comes as President Yoweri Museveni’s government faces growing domestic and international scrutiny ahead of Uganda’s 2026 presidential election.
Concerns are rising over the strain this agreement could place on Uganda’s already overstretched refugee system. The country currently hosts nearly two million refugees, mainly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“It’s a deal that helps relieve the US of its burden … but bears little for Uganda,” said Ugandan journalist and international relations researcher Raymond Mujuni. “Uganda already has one of the world’s highest refugee populations, and this merely exerts more pressure on its scarce resources.”
Beyond humanitarian worries, analysts warn the deal could carry political implications. “The agreement between the US and Uganda may shield the Ugandan government from critical scrutiny regarding its authoritarian practices, particularly as the country approaches a general election,” said Nicodemus Minde of the Institute for Security Studies.
Uganda has previously been linked to controversial third-country resettlement arrangements. Amnesty International reported in 2018 that nearly 1,800 asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan were deported to Uganda under an Israeli deal between 2015 and 2018—claims Ugandan authorities denied.
The number of deportees expected from the US remains unclear. While Ugandan officials say talks with Washington are ongoing, Museveni’s office has declined to comment.
Meanwhile, President Museveni, 80, who has ruled since 1986, is seeking re-election in 2026.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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