Eastern Uganda leads in trafficked migrant workers

JINJA - Eastern Uganda, particularly areas of Busoga, Bugisu and Bukedi, accounts for the highest number of trafficked migrant workers in the Middle East, New Vision Online has heard.

Labour and industrial relations state minister Esther Davina Anyakun, who is involved in repatriating Ugandans trapped in prisons and deportation centres in the Arab world, says figures show that majority of those returned originate from the East.

"Up to 250 Ugandan youth have been returned from Saudi Arabia following the minister’s visit to Riyadh on October 14-17, 2024, the last batch being a group of 27 who jetted into the country on Wednesday this week," she said.

“The majority of those returning are victims of human trafficking and unfortunately, eastern Uganda accounts for most of the cases recorded so far. Out of more than 250 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, up to 50% are from eastern Uganda,” she said.

According to her, the victims mostly young girls are trafficked across the Uganda-Kenya border through illegal paths while others go via Lake Victoria until they reach Nairobi from where they board a plane to the Middle East.

Anyakun made the revelations while addressing journalists at a media briefing at Nile Luxe Hotel in Jinja city on December 13, 2024.

The minister, accompanied by a team of technical staff from the ministry, is on a countrywide campaign to promote safe migration practices.

Anyakun observed that given the high unemployment rates and the high wages in the Middle East where a domestic worker earns up to shillings 900,000 a month, many are compelled to seek fortunes there.

“The solution to this lies in introducing a safe, orderly, formal and regular pathway for those intending to travel and work abroad. Consequently, the externalisation of labour programme was launched in 2005,” she said.

According to the minister, to date there are 294 licensed recruitment agencies whose agents have to be vetted and approved by the ministry.

Illegal travels

However, the minister noted that despite attempts by the Government to formalise labour externalisation, many of those seeking employment abroad prefer to deal with illegal operators.

These, she said are not registered companies whose operations and details are not known in the government systems, making it hard to trace their victims for assistance in case of any problem.

She added that perpetrators of this crime normally use fake travel documents/passports and upon reaching their destination, confiscate them from the victims of trafficking. The girls are then placed in brothels where they are subjected to mistreatment including prostitution, she added.

“It is on this note that we request all Ugandans intending to travel abroad for work, to do so through the right channels, using duly registered companies to avoid such scenarios,” she said.

Anyakun, who said talks are still ongoing to have more Ugandans freed from prisons in the Middle East, said Saudi Arabia has given 60 days for more Ugandans to return home voluntarily while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has given them up to December 31, 2024.

Additionally, she said apart from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan with whom Uganda has bilateral agreements for labour externalisation, the minister said efforts are being made to bring more countries such as South Korea and Austria on board.

She added that the repatriated group is undergoing rehabilitation before being helped to access support under government poverty alleviation programmes.