Gov’t: No budget to rescue stranded Ugandans overseas

What the report says

Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has told Parliament that it does not have a dedicated budget to repatriate citizens stranded overseas, even as labour migration brings in large remittance inflows and remains a major source of foreign exchange. The issue was raised during a committee meeting in Kampala, with officials saying distress calls from Ugandans abroad have become frequent, especially from Gulf countries.

According to the report published by The Independent Uganda, the concern comes after Saudi Arabia launched a security crackdown in July, arresting thousands of people for alleged residency, labour and border violations. A migrant-rights advocate, Kenny Oloka of the Kyeyo Initiative, said a number of Ugandans may be among those detained, though the ministry said it had not confirmed that figure. Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire told MPs that some Ugandans in Iraq may soon be released after diplomatic engagement, but returning them home is difficult without a specific repatriation fund.

The article also cites Myanmar as another pressure point, noting that Uganda recently brought back 43 nationals from there while another group reportedly travelled to Myanmar for work. Parliament’s foreign affairs committee chair, Grace Kwiyucwiny, said the government should treat the welfare of workers abroad as a national priority, while Robert Ssewagudde urged stronger public awareness on human trafficking.

The report places the debate within Uganda’s wider labour migration system, which the government says has deployed more than 351,000 workers abroad since 2016, with Saudi Arabia the largest destination.