FUMWA to Petition High Court Over Deaths and Suffering of Ugandan Migrant Workers: Accuses Ministry of Gender of Negligence

The Federation of Ugandan Migrant Workers Associations (FUMWA) has officially notified the Attorney General of its intention to petition the High Court of Uganda against the Government—specifically the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD)—for what it describes as gross negligence, breach of duty, and systemic failure to protect Ugandan migrant workers abroad.

The notice, dated July 21, 2025, is issued under Section 2 of the Civil Procedure and Limitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and the Government Proceedings Act (Cap. 77), which mandates a 45-day notification before legal action can be taken against the state.

A Cry for Justice

In the letter addressed to the Attorney General and widely copied to top government officials and institutions, including the Office of the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Inspector General of Government, FUMWA says it represents families of Ugandan migrant workers who have died, gone missing, or suffered extreme abuse while working abroad—particularly in the Middle East.

The petition accuses the Ministry of Gender of failing in its constitutional and statutory mandate to regulate the recruitment and deployment of migrant workers. Instead of ensuring safety and welfare, FUMWA alleges that the Ministry has overseen a corrupt and exploitative system, facilitating trafficking and abuse due to systemic regulatory gaps.

Suspension of Agencies Without Protection

FUMWA cites as a critical example the suspension of licenses for over 15 recruitment agencies that had deployed thousands of Ugandan workers abroad. Among the suspended agencies are: Alsaudi Agency Limited

Middle East Consultants Limited

AlbaI Manpower Services Limited

Fly International Jobs (U) Ltd

Pearl of Makka International Ltd

Cornell Recruitment Centre Uganda T

op Notch Recruitment Services Ltd

Nile Treasure Gate Company, and others.

The Federation argues that while suspension of these agencies may appear protective, no alternative support or follow-up mechanisms were instituted for the workers they deployed, leaving thousands stranded and vulnerable in foreign countries.

Documented Abuse and Loss

FUMWA says it has compiled a comprehensive dossier, including Annexe A (listing affected migrant workers) and Annexe B (sworn affidavits) detailing horrific accounts of exploitation, beatings, sexual abuse, forced labour, disappearance, and even death. The Federation asserts that these human rights abuses are direct results of negligence and inaction on the part of the Ministry.

The Federation also references Uganda’s obligations under international law, including ILO Conventions Nos. 97 and 181, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which compel the government to ensure safe and dignified labour migration.

Demands and Legal Relief

FUMWA’s intended petition to the High Court seeks comprehensive legal remedies, including:

Immediate search, rescue, and repatriation of stranded Ugandan workers.

Full audit and accountability of the $30 job order fees collected by the Ministry per migrant deployed.

UGX 500 billion in general damages for affected workers and their families.

Recognition of FUMWA as the official representative body of migrant workers.

Ratification of ILO Convention No. 189 to strengthen protections for domestic workers.

Enactment of a new law to regulate migrant labour recruitment.

Temporary halt to labour externalization until reforms are implemented.

Formation of a tripartite forensic audit committee to investigate recruitment agencies and MGLSD departments.

A 10-year retrospective audit of all cases of migrant deaths and disappearances abroad.

Establishment of a Tripartite Compensation Fund jointly managed by MGLSD, FUMWA, and recruitment agencies.

Criminalization of passport confiscation and formal inclusion of FUMWA in oversight and clearance processes.

The Bigger Picture: Labour Externalization in Crisis

Labour externalization has become a major employment source for Ugandans, particularly youth, amid soaring domestic unemployment. Yet, growing reports of abuse, death, and exploitation—especially from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman—have drawn national and international criticism.

FUMWA believes that the problem is not labour migration itself but the government's failure to regulate it with the seriousness and human rights lens it deserves.

Next Steps

If the government fails to take remedial action within the mandatory 45-day notice period, FUMWA says it will proceed to file a constitutional and civil suit against the Ministry of Gender at the High Court of Uganda.

This legal action could open the floodgates for unprecedented judicial scrutiny of Uganda’s migrant labour policies, holding government actors and private agencies accountable for years of alleged abuse, impunity, and systemic failure.

About FUMWA

The Federation of Ugandan Migrant Workers Associations (FUMWA) is an umbrella body representing the interests of Ugandan workers employed abroad. It works to defend the rights, dignity, and welfare of all Ugandans involved in external labour employment and advocates for reforms to ensure safe and fair migration systems.