Date of publication:

01/08/2026

Uganda

Do domestic laws and policies provide forcibly displaced and stateless persons the right to freely choose their place of residence?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

The Refugees Act (2006), under section 30, explicitly provides the right to freedom of movement to recognized refugees without mentioning the freedom to choose residence.

The Refugees Act authorizes the Minister responsible for refugees to designate places for refugees to reside such as settlements and transit centres. Under section 44 (1), designate places or areas for refugees’ settlement or transit centres. A refugee, pursuant to section 44 (2), should apply to the Commissioner for permission to reside in any other part of Uganda. Furthermore, regulation 47(1) of the Refugees Regulations provides that a person who is registered as seeking refugee status or as a refugee shall, on changing his or her place of residence within Uganda, give notice to the Commissioner of his or her new residence and address, within seven days after the change. Also, as per regulation 47(2), a refugee who intends to relocate from one refugee settlement to another should have received authorisation before relocating to another settlement.

Therefore, the cumulative reading of the Refugees Act and Refugees Regulations leads to the conclusion that the legal framework in Uganda does not provide refugees with an explicit right to freely choose their place of residence.  In practice, refugees enjoy the freedom to choose a place of residence, however, refugees who choose to reside outside of the refugee settlements forfeit access to regular humanitarian assistance programs. Out of the total refugees and asylum seekers population most will reside in 31 refugee settlements located within host communities around the country, while fewer reside in urban settings, mainly in Kampala. 

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    The Refugees Act (2006)

    Legal provision

    Section 44 - Settlements and transit centres

    (1) The Minister may, in accordance with the Constitution and any other law, by notice published in the Gazette, designate places or areas on public land to be transit centres or refugee settlements for the purposes of — (a) temporarily accommodating persons who have applied for grant of refugee status pending the processing and consideration of their applications by the Eligibility Committee; and (b) local settlement and integration of refugees whose applications for refugee status have been granted. (2) An applicant or refugee who may wish to stay in a place other than the designated places or areas may apply to the Commissioner for permission to reside in any other part of Uganda. (3) A refugee who is authorised to stay in a place other than a designated place or area under subsection (2) of this section, may be required to report to the local or urban council of the area or to an authorised officer from time to time.

    The Refugees Regulations (Uganda)

    Legal provision

    Regulation 47 - Change of residence.

    (1) A person who is registered as seeking refugee status or as a refugee shall, on changing his or her place of residence within Uganda, give notice in Form I specified in the Third Schedule to the Commissioner of his or her new residence and address, within seven days after the change. (2) Every refugee who intends to relocate from one refugee settlement to another shall prior to the relocation, seek permission from the Commissioner. (3) Where a person who has applied for refugee status or a refugee is absent from his or her place of residence for a continuous period exceeding ninety days, he or she shall— (a) after the expiry of the ninety days notify the Commissioner in writing of his or her address for the time being; and (b) within seven days of his or her return to that place of residence, notify the Commissioner in writing, of his or her return. (4) The Commissioner may require a person who has applied for refugee status or is a refugee and has notified him or her of a change in his or her place of residence within Uganda to produce his or her identification and may make any change that he or she thinks necessary.