How a Ugandan Lost 20 Years of Her Life to Xenophobia

Winniefred Kabiri, a Ugandan entrepreneur, spent two decades building a life in Johannesburg. However, the past few months have been a nightmare come true for her, as xenophobic violence and intimidation forced her to abandon years of investment and watch her businesses vandalized.

Kabiri’s story is not an isolated one. As anti-foreigner campaigns intensified in parts of South Africa this year, hundreds of African migrants were forced to leave behind everything they had built – businesses, homes, and lives. The numbers are staggering: over 1,100 Ugandans have been evacuated by their government, joining a long list of migrants who have been caught up in the cycle of xenophobic violence that has plagued South Africa since the late 1990s.

Kabiri’s experience is particularly striking because it highlights not only the brutality of her situation but also the sense of betrayal that lingers. “I had created a life for myself,” she says, “and educated my children.” For migrants like Kabiri, who had invested their hopes and dreams in South Africa’s promise of opportunity, the violence is not just an attack on their physical safety but also on their very sense of identity.

The Cycle of Violence

The persistence of xenophobic violence in South Africa is a complex issue, driven by deep-seated economic and social inequalities. Analysts point to the country’s enduring problems with unemployment, crime, and poor public services as fuel for anti-immigrant sentiment. State-sponsored repatriation exercises like the one that forcibly removed Kabiri from her home also play a role in perpetuating the cycle of violence.

By removing migrants from their homes and businesses, governments may be seen as taking decisive action against xenophobia but are often merely displacing the problem rather than addressing its root causes. This has left many migrants facing a daunting challenge: rebuilding their lives after years of investment have been lost.

Rebuilding Lives

Back in Uganda, Kabiri is part of a growing number of returnees who must navigate the complex process of restarting their lives. The Ugandan government has set up transport and reception centers as well as psychosocial support initiatives to help migrants adjust to life back home. However, for many migrants, the financial reality of starting anew is overwhelming.

Kabiri’s focus on creating a new future in Uganda highlights the limitations of state-led reintegration efforts. Can governments really provide adequate support for migrants who have been forced to abandon their livelihoods and rebuild from scratch? The evidence suggests that this is often not enough.

A Wider Pattern

Kabiri’s story is just one thread in a larger pattern of xenophobia that stretches across the African continent. From South Africa’s recurring outbreaks of violence to Kenya’s escalating tensions with Somalia, similar patterns are emerging in country after country.

It’s time for governments and international organizations to take a step back and examine the root causes of this phenomenon. Rather than providing piecemeal solutions to each individual crisis, we need a more comprehensive approach that addresses the deeper structural issues driving xenophobia. This includes investing in education and job creation initiatives as well as strengthening protections for migrant rights and addressing social and economic inequalities.

As Kabiri said, “East or West, home is best.” But what happens when home itself becomes a place of violence and intimidation?