PhD Defence Abstract – Asiimwe Enoch

This study was about refugees of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ethnicity who live in urban settings enjoying free movement to work and live anywhere they want in Uganda. This implies that they are not primary beneficiaries of the government and humanitarian agencies as compared to their counterparts in camps and settlements who receive relief aid to sustain their livelihoods. Hence, they need to work hard mostly under the informal sector to meet their daily needs. Urban refugees, particularly those of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ethnicity may be lacking enough assets to turn into cash in time of crisis because they left most of their valuable assets and wealth like household equipment, businesses, livestock and land back to DRC running away from political crisis. Similarly, the majority are likely to be engaging in less economic rewarding activities like howking jewellery, selling second hand clothes, and working as casual labourers, also, a majority may lack capabilities to compete with the host population for well-paying jobs both in public, private sector and civil society organisations (CSOs) because their academic credentials are in French which is not a language of instruction in Ugandan education system. Hence some who are luckier to secure jobs in some CSOs, still cannot occupy higher positions that reward highly in terms of salaries/remuneration due to competition with the nationals who equally have the required qualifications in addition to the scarcity of employment opportunities in Uganda.