Minister Highlights Critical Gaps in Uganda's Labour Export Sector

The Ugandan government is facing scrutiny over its handling of the burgeoning labour export sector, with the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Henry Tumukunde, pinpointing significant gaps in monitoring and safeguarding its citizens working overseas.

During a meeting with the Parliament Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development, Minister Tumukunde emphasized that Uganda’s commitment to its labour export program must extend beyond initial recruitment and deployment. He called for robust mechanisms to ensure adequate preparation, ongoing monitoring, and effective assistance for migrant workers once they reach their destination countries.

“How do you reach there?” the Minister questioned, highlighting the logistical challenges and inadequate facilitation hindering officials from effectively tracking and supporting Ugandan workers abroad. He expressed concerns that existing labor partnerships with other nations might not be translating into tangible protection for these individuals.

Minister Tumukunde also stressed the importance of maintaining accurate records of Ugandans working abroad to ensure they can be located and assisted in times of need. He underscored the significant economic contribution of migrant workers through remittances and questioned why labour export is often treated as a secondary concern.

The Minister further addressed the issue of youth unemployment, noting that approximately 5.5 million young people are currently not engaged in employment, education, or training, a figure he warned could escalate. He also raised the critical issue of human trafficking, advocating for stronger inter-institutional controls.

Challenges such as insufficient funding, fragmented service delivery, and weak oversight were identified as major impediments to supporting vulnerable populations and the broader labour export system. The Minister also pointed out “technical fractures” where funds allocated to his ministry are managed through other government institutions, leading to inefficiencies.

However, some committee members raised counterpoints regarding the ministry’s fund absorption rates, suggesting that better utilization of existing resources should be demonstrated before requesting more. Concerns were also echoed by MPs regarding the exploitation of Ugandan workers, particularly women, by recruitment agencies.

The discussions concluded with a call for increased funding and a commitment from the ministry to address internal shortcomings within the labour export framework.

Source: Parliament of Uganda