Lt. Gen. Tumukunde calls for stronger protection of Ugandans working abroad
"How do you reach there?" Tumukunde asked. "We recruit people, we train them and send them abroad, but we must have a system that enables Government to monitor their welfare and intervene whenever they encounter difficulties."
Tumukunde said Uganda has entered into labour agreements with several countries, but challenged officials to ensure those partnerships translate into real protection for migrant workers rather than remaining commitments on paper. (New Vision/Files)
The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Lt. Gen Henry Tumukunde, has called for stronger government oversight of Ugandans working abroad, warning that the country's labour export programme cannot end once migrant workers board a plane.
Appearing before Parliament's Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, Tumukunde said Uganda must strengthen systems for preparing, tracking and protecting its citizens working overseas.
The committee, chaired by Laura Kanushu, was scrutinising the ministry's priorities when the minister argued that labour migration should be managed from recruitment to the workers' return home.
He questioned how Government can effectively protect Ugandans abroad when officials responsible for monitoring their welfare lack the resources to follow up on them.
"How do you reach there?" Tumukunde asked. "We recruit people, we train them and send them abroad, but we must have a system that enables Government to monitor their welfare and intervene whenever they encounter difficulties."
He said Uganda has entered into labour agreements with several countries, but challenged officials to ensure those partnerships translate into real protection for migrant workers rather than remaining commitments on paper.
The minister called for a stronger national database to keep track of Ugandans employed overseas so they can be traced and assisted whenever they face abuse, exploitation or other challenges.
"I hope that you and Government will invest in training these people because you are receiving quite a lot of remittances from them," he told the committee.
He questioned why labour export is sometimes treated as a peripheral programme despite its growing economic importance.
The minister warned that youth unemployment continues to cast a long shadow over the country, revealing that about 5.5 million Ugandans below the age of 30 are neither in employment, education nor training.
He cautioned that the number could continue rising unless more opportunities are created for young people. Tumukunde drew attention to human trafficking, describing it as a challenge that demands a coordinated response from multiple government agencies.
He pledged that the ministry would confront weaknesses within the labour export system rather than ignore them. Beyond labour migration, the minister painted a broader picture of a ministry struggling to meet growing public expectations with limited resources.
He cited inadequate funding, fragmented service delivery and weak oversight as obstacles to programmes intended to support women, children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.
Tumukunde questioned whether Government was matching its commitments with adequate resources.
He pointed to what he described as "technical fractures" in programme implementation, explaining that although the ministry transfers funds to local governments, those resources are often administered through structures controlled by other institutions, making accountability more difficult.
The minister lamented the limited funding available for political supervision, saying ministers and other political leaders are expected to inspect programmes across the country without sufficient facilitation.
Committee members challenged the ministry to demonstrate prudent use of the resources already allocated before seeking additional funding. Richard Wanyama (Samia Bugwe Central County, NRM) noted that the ministry had failed to absorb part of its previous budget.
"Last time you had sh410 billion, but you spent sh333 billion, so it will be very hard for you to ask for more money," Wanyama said.
He nonetheless agreed that many Ugandan girls working abroad continue to face exploitation by unscrupulous labour recruitment companies.
Sowedi Kitanywa (Busongora County North, NRM) urged the minister to press for increased funding during Cabinet discussions, promising Parliament's backing. "Fight more at Cabinet level to get more funding; we will support you here," Kitanywa said.
The committee's discussions underscored Parliament's concern that as more Ugandans seek opportunities beyond the country's borders, Government's responsibility should extend far beyond recruitment.
Like a bridge, the labour export programme must connect workers not only to jobs abroad, but to protection, accountability and the assurance that their country will stand with them when challenges arise.