By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
A total number of 269,452 Ugandans reportedly left the country as migrant workers between 2016 and 2023 for jobs in foreign countries, Gender Ministry reported.
According to the ministry, the number of females leaving the country is more than male migrant workers.
“Of these 269,452, the female migrant workers account for 225,693 while the males are 43,759,” read data records at the ministry.
These are employed in eleven countries like United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Somalia, Iraq, Poland, Bahrain, Romania, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.
Saudi Arabia has been named as the country employing the largest number of Ugandan migrant workers while the number of Ugandans seeking for jobs in Somalia increased now reported at 3,254 migrant workers in the past eight years majority of them as security guards.
Records at the ministry further indicate that cases of mistreatment against Ugandan migrant workers reduced in 2023. For instance, a total of 868 cases were recorded of which 806 cases have been fully concluded and 62 cases are still pending. Only 41 death cases were registered in the same year.
Lawrence Egulu, the commissioner in charge of the employment services at the ministry attributed the reduction to government’s operationalization of External Employment Management System (EEMS) which was put in place to monitor safety of Ugandans abroad.
In order to facilitate safe migrant labour to Ugandans, the ministry said they are signing bilateral labour agreements between Uganda and hosting countries and the market could soon expand to other countries such as Oman, Somalia, United Kingdom, Turkey and Canada.
Recently, gender minister Betty Among Akena signed a bilateral labour agreement with Qatar to allow exportation of more skilled labour to that country.
Egulu said the ministry is looking forward to exportation of more skilled labour as opposed to semi-skilled and unskilled domestic workers that are currently being employed in foreign countries stating that Uganda is not a country for maids.
“The agreement (between Uganda and Qatar) has very good provisions. They are looking for skilled workers more than these domestic workers who are semi-skilled or unskilled. We are looking at drivers, security guards, teachers, plumbers and architects,” he said.
The ministry revealed plans to introduce a Mobile Application to help Ugandans abroad report challenges. According to Egulu, it will be mandatory for every migrant worker to own a smartphone and the App installed in his/her gadget which he says will enable both countries to reduce cases of mistreatment among others.
