TEREGO, UGANDA — Two suspected male refugees have died and several others have been arrested following violent protests at Imvepi Refugee Settlement in Terego District, where government and humanitarian facilities were set ablaze during a dispute over Refugee Welfare Council (RWC) elections.
The unrest occurred on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at Imvepi Base Camp in Yinga Village, Lugbari Parish, Odupi Sub-county. Police said the violence erupted after a group of South Sudanese refugees protested the exclusion of one of the candidates from the RWC election process.
According to West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson SSP Josephine Angucia, the dispute followed nominations for RWC positions held between August 10 and 14.
Four candidates reportedly sought the RWC Level 3 position, but only two were successfully nominated. One of those who was not nominated, identified as Loro Charles James, allegedly continued campaigning, prompting complaints to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Police said OPM officials and partners met the candidates on Monday, August 24, and instructed Loro to stop campaigning.
The following day, a group of refugees supporting him reportedly marched towards Imvepi Police Station carrying placards and demanding that the elections scheduled for August 26 be halted unless their preferred candidate was allowed to participate.
Authorities directed the protesters to an open playground for dialogue, but the situation later turned violent.
Police said the crowd began throwing stones at officers before setting fire to the OPM administrative block, Imvepi Police offices and barracks. The UNHCR office block and OPM canteen were also reportedly vandalised.
One police motorcycle and a generator were burnt, while two vehicles were badly damaged. Two police officers sustained injuries, and seven suspects who had been in custody reportedly escaped during the chaos.
Two suspected male refugees died during the confrontation. Their identities had not been released by police by Wednesday.
Police subsequently arrested four suspects identified as Aate Jackline, Ojosile Guido, Onziga Lawrence and Oru Santino. A case of arson and malicious damage to property was opened at Terego Central Police Station under CRB 289/2026.
The deceased were taken to Arua Regional Referral Hospital for postmortem examinations, while police and fire personnel were deployed to assess the damage and restore security in the settlement.
Additional security officers from Maracha and the Field Force Unit in the West Nile Region were also deployed to reinforce the security situation.
The Uganda Red Cross Society had earlier confirmed that unrest had broken out in the settlement, with refugees torching OPM and police buildings. The organisation said the initial reports linked the violence to dissatisfaction with the outcome of the Refugee Welfare Council elections.
Police have condemned the violence, urging refugees to use established settlement authorities and other peaceful mechanisms to resolve disputes rather than resorting to destruction of property and confrontation with security personnel.
Investigations into the incident are continuing, with police warning that individuals found responsible for the violence will face prosecution.
Imvepi Refugee Settlement, located in Terego District, primarily hosts refugees who fled conflict in neighbouring South Sudan and is among Uganda’s major refugee settlements.
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