Rwanda Prepares to Welcome UK Migrants: Refurbished Hostel in Kigali Ready for Arrivals
Rwanda is preparing to receive migrants deported from the United Kingdom after a controversial bill was approved in Parliament to stem the tide of Channel crossings.
A refurbished hostel in Kigali's expat area, Kagugu, is ready to house the migrants.
The Hope Hostel once housed college students orphaned during Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
The number and start date of deportation flights have been kept secret by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Rwanda's government has prepared for the arrival of migrants to be deported from the UK for two years, despite opposition from human rights activists and legal challenges in British courts.
The plan, which aims to deter illegal immigration, envisages deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The UK has signed a new treaty with Rwanda to strengthen protections for migrants and passed legislation declaring Rwanda a safe country.
Migrant advocates continue to oppose the plan, which they consider illegal and inhumane.
Rwanda's safety has been questioned by critics and UK judges, but Mukuralinda, a Rwandan official, asserts that it is now safe.
The Hope Hostel, a four-story facility, is ready to accommodate 100 people and will serve as a transit center for migrants coming from the UK.
Upon arrival, migrants will be given rooms to rest, food, and orientation about Kigali and Rwanda.
Tents will be set up for document processing and briefings.
The site is equipped with security cameras for safety.
The text describes a new migrant hostel in Rwanda, which includes living quarters, entertainment areas such as a mini-soccer field, basketball and volleyball courts, a prayer room, and a smoking room.
Meals will be prepared in the hostel's main kitchen, but migrants can also prepare their own meals.
They will be free to leave the hostel and visit Kigali city center, and translators will be available in English and Arabic.
The government aims to process migrants' papers within three months, and those who wish to remain in Rwanda can do so with assistance from authorities.
In Rwanda, migrants who obtain legal status for Britain will go through processing, but the details are unclear.
For those choosing to stay, the Rwandan government will cover financial and other responsibilities for five years, after which they will be considered integrated into society and expected to manage on their own.