Gov't not aware of Ugandan girls in Saudi detention

Apr 29, 2016

The girls, Amongi said, had been recruited by one of the many labour exporting firms

Pius Bigirimana, the permanent secretary ministry of gender, labour and social development has revealed that government is not aware of the 12 Ugandan girls allegedly in detention in Saudi Arabia.

Reacting to calls made by lawmakers last week that government urgently liaise with the Saudi authorities through its ambassador in Riyadh to rescue the said girls, Bigirimana on Thursday took exception to what he labeled as irresponsibility by some Ugandans who end up in trouble in foreign countries.

Last week, Oyam North MP and chairperson of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association told the House that 12 Ugandan girls in Saudi detention had phoned her, narrating their ordeal in a Saudi detention facility.

The girls, Amongi said, had been recruited by one of the many labour exporting firms only to have their passports confiscated upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

The women in detention, Amongi said  include; Nakamya Latifa, Naku Zamu, Nabukalu Aisha, Kyabaganje Hadijah, Nakitta Rebecca, Naigaga Sawiya and Kagoya Sharua.  

"I am not aware of any Ugandan girl in Saudi detention. I wonder why people don't inform the ministry responsible when they get in trouble," Bigirimna said when asked whether any plans were underway to rescue the girls in question.

Bigirimana said many Ugandans leave the country with the help of organizations or individuals with questionable reputation.

Its only when they get into trouble - herded into brothels with no travel documents - that they remember to inform the public their whereabouts.

"We have made it clear that Ugandans seeking employment in the Middle East should do so through registered firms. Its very easy to help them through holding such firms accountable in case they get into trouble," Bigirimana said.

Dr. Kamanda Bataringaya, the state minister for labour and industrial relations had, too, told the House that government was yet to receive finer details about the alleged girls in Saudi detention.

In July 2015, government of Uganda signed a pact with Saudi Arabia to 'export' labor in different fields to the oil rich kingdom.

The rationale behind the agreement was to streamline labour export to Saudi Arabia after harrowing tales of abuse of Ugandans working as house maids in Saudi Arabia became a news staple.

Hardly a year later, government imposed a ban on labor export to Saudi Arabia, citing the continued abuse of Ugandan house maids by their Saudi employers.

"The ban will remain in force until the conditions are deemed fitting," minister of gender, labor and social development, Muruli Mukasa noted in a letter sent to ministry of foreign affairs early this year.

As of August 2014, the number of Ugandans who had left the country for the Middle East in search of employment since 2006 had reached 42,015.

This information was given to the committee of gender by Milton Turyasiima, the principal labor officer in charge of statistics in the labor ministry.

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