KARONGI- Close to 20,000 Congolese refugees camped at the Kiziba Refugee Camp in Karongi District have decried the escalating food shortage.

The refugees are dissatisfied with the quality and quality of food supplied by the World Food Programme (WFP).

Among other grievances, the refugees are unimpressed with the ongoing delay to enable them to return home.

"Of recent, the type of food we have been receiving is of poor quality, on top of being insufficient,” Fredric Hakizimana, a father of four said.

He lamented that sometimes deaths have occurred due to poor feeding in the camp that was put up in the 90s.

During a field visit at the refugee camp last week, WFP’s Field Monitor, Christophe Habarurema, pledged concerted efforts to solve the problem by the end of this month.

"Due to the insurgency and poverty in politically unstable countries such as Somalia, there has been a problem of finding food throughout East Africa,” Habarurema said.

He pointed out that harvests during the second agricultural season will help resolve the hitch.

At the same function, Antoine Ruvebana, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Disaster preparedness promised to end the food crisis.

"Both Rwanda and DRC are working closely to help those who want to return home in addition to seeking a solution to the escalating food crisis,” Ruvebana said.

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