More than 300,000 people have fled South Sudan this year as escalating violence between rival factions forces a new wave of displacement, according to the United Nations. While many have found refuge in neighboring Uganda, their lives remain in limbo, overshadowed by the conflict at home and the fear of what may come next.
The story of Michael Ojoke, one of the thousands of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, illustrates the human cost of the crisis. Ojoke came to Uganda as a child and has since grown into a man, completing his studies and finding work in the capital, Kampala. Despite building a life for himself, his family remains separated, with his parents still living in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.
“Everywhere you go, home is the best,” Ojoke said. “So I would one time also love to go back and also establish things I’ve seen in a country like Uganda.”
Ojoke’s hope for a peaceful return is complicated by a renewed power struggle in his homeland. Violence has erupted again between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Riek Machar, dashing hopes for a lasting peace that many had clung to.
Amid the political strife, Ojoke sees a unifying spirit among the younger generation of South Sudanese. “When the leaders unite, the rest is easy,” he stated. “The only thing I see… we are united compared to our parents… whenever we are gathered we are in one place we never think of who we are we just think we are South Sudan.”
This renewed conflict has reignited fears of another full-scale civil war and continues to drive people across the border. Uganda, already Africa’s largest refugee host country, is now home to nearly 2 million refugees, with more than half originating from South Sudan.
For these refugees, Kampala has become a temporary sanctuary after years of conflict. Life is a struggle, but communities are trying to rebuild while anxiously watching the situation in their homeland. Their primary concern extends beyond immediate safety in Uganda to the potential for intensified fighting back home.
Analysts warn that the cycle of violence and displacement will continue without a political solution.
“Any violence in South Sudan directly translates into an influx of refugees,” said one analyst. “The key issue is actually the influx of refugees. The other are top-ups. And yet these refugees come with so many burdens that they move along with, including lack of access to the basics.”
The analyst further explained that the situation places a significant strain on Uganda. “It’s a burden. It’s an economic burden. It’s a political burden. It’s a social burden.”
As the UN appeals for urgent regional intervention, many South Sudanese in Uganda live with profound uncertainty, clinging to the hope that calls for peace will finally be heeded. For Michael Ojoke and countless others, that hope is tempered by the reality of a conflict measured not just in numbers, but in lost time, lost homes, and families torn apart.