The Federation of Uganda Migrant Workers’ Associations (FUMWA) has formally notified the government of its intention to sue. The move stems from what FUMWA describes as persistent negligence and systemic failures by authorities, leading to the deaths and widespread suffering of Ugandan citizens working overseas.
Through their legal representatives, Guma & Company Advocates, FUMWA has petitioned the Attorney General, announcing plans to file a lawsuit against the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. The federation accuses the ministry of violating its statutory and constitutional duties to protect Ugandan migrant workers, particularly through inadequate regulation and oversight of labor recruitment agencies.
“The ministry’s regulatory framework suffers from significant deficiencies in monitoring and protecting workers deployed by recruitment agencies that lack jurisdiction or presence in destination countries,” FUMWA’s petition asserts.
FUMWA has also criticized the ministry’s recent suspension of licenses for several labor recruitment agencies, arguing that this action was ineffective and misleadingly presented as a protective measure. The federation contends that this move failed to safeguard workers who had already been deployed through the affected agencies.
“Suspending licences of agencies that already deployed workers—without establishing support or follow-up mechanisms—only worsened the situation,” the petition states.
Among the agencies whose licenses were suspended, as named by FUMWA, are Albal Manpower Services Ltd, Middle East Consultants Ltd, Al-Saudi Agency Ltd, The Eagles Supervision Ltd, Forbes Enterprises Ltd, Fly International Jobs (U) Ltd, Top Notch Recruitment Services Ltd, Al Sultaan Recruitment Agency Ltd, Golden Star Recruitment Agencies Ltd, Hala Uganda Rec Ltd, Perla Recruitment Agency Ltd, Pearl of Makka International Ltd, Nile Treasure Gate Company, Al-Madinah Agency Ltd, Cornell Recruitment Centre Uganda, and Tempcro International Ltd. FUMWA argues that these suspensions “did not serve the intended purpose,” leaving “numerous migrant workers vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, disappearance, torture and neglect, with no agency responsible for their follow-up or assistance.”
The petition further asserts that the Ministry of Gender’s failures constitute breaches of statutory duty and negligence. It claims these actions violate international obligations under ILO Conventions Nos. 97 and 181, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and several bilateral labor agreements ratified by Uganda, including one with Saudi Arabia.
FUMWA is demanding that the government immediately undertake searches, rescues, and repatriations for all stranded or abandoned Ugandan migrant workers abroad. The group also seeks a full accounting of the USD 20 collected per job vacancy and deployment clearance by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
The federation further calls on the government to formally recognize FUMWA as the umbrella body for migrant workers in Uganda. It is advocating for Uganda’s ratification of ILO Convention No. 189, the suspension or recall of bilateral labor agreements with countries that have not ratified the convention, and the enactment of a comprehensive Act of Parliament to regulate external labor recruitment and deployment.
FUMWA proposes that all externalization of labor be halted until meaningful reforms are fully implemented. It specifically calls for the formation of a tripartite forensic audit committee to investigate all recruitment agencies and relevant government departments.
“Government should conduct a comprehensive 10 years back audit of the ministry and recruitment agencies involved in recruitment, audit of all lost lives and affected Ugandan migrants abroad, including a lifestyle audit of ministers and all commissioners in charge of external labour employment,” the petition states.
