Uganda’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirate (UAE), Wanume Kibeddi, says the Government is working around the clock to ensure all Ugandans staying in the UAE illegally comply with that country’s ultimatum to leave the country by the end of October.

He says failure by Uganda to rein in its errant citizens has the potential to sour bilateral ties between the two countries.  

“I call upon Ugandans to exercise the utmost diplomacy in this matter to avoid causing diplomatic tensions between the two countries,” he said.

Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations Col. Rtd Okello P. Charles Engola and the Ambassador of Uganda to UAE Zaake Kibedi having a chat. (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

He was speaking during a media engagement at the Uganda Media Centre on Wednesday (October 26).

He made the remarks as it emerged that a total of 3,500 Ugandans are still stranded in the UAE, despite the Uganda government reportedly offering assistance to return them home free of charge.

Kibeddi said the Uganda government offered to return stranded Ugandans back home to take advantage of an amnesty given by the UAE in August to rid the country of illegal entrants.

The amnesty is for a period of three months running from August until the end of this month (October).

Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations Col. Rtd Okello P. Charles Engola addressing journalist at Media Centre. (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

Kibeddi said subsequently, a total of 3,000 people from seven nationalities turned up to benefit from the amnesty, including Kenyans, Nigerians, Sierra Leoneans, Mozambicans and Ugandans.

Of these, he said Ugandans totalled 1,500. He said while a total of 280 Ugandans had their passports and they were immediately repatriated in the first week of August, 1,280 did not have travel documents.

As such, he said the Uganda embassy in UAE sought permission from Uganda's Internal Affairs to issue them requisite travel documents.

“Upon authorisation, we issued travel documents to the remaining 1,280 Ugandans. On Sunday, October 23, the majority of Ugandans that were still at Al Awir immigration camp had been repatriated,” he said, adding that the last batch of the willing repatriates arrived on Monday, October 24.

Aggrey David Kibenge , Permanent Secretary Ministry of Gender addressing journalist at Media Centre. (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

According to Kibeddi, of the over 100,000 Ugandans that are living and working in the UAE, 95% are on legal stay while the rest are living there illegally.

"Our prayer is that we handle this issue of Ugandans stranded in the UAE diplomatically to avoid jeopardising the future of those 95% who are there legally," he said.      

In 2018, foreign direct investments from UAE to Uganda were worth $300m, but has now gone up to $3b. The trade portfolio was $600m by 2018 and is now $2b. Remittances by Ugandans working in the UAE were worth $50m in 2018, but are now $200m.