Ugandan Iraq returnees start developmental association

Some of the Ugandans who worked in Iraq and other desert countries have started an organisation that brings them together for developmental purposes.

"We have started Desert Group Foundation to try and bring together all the returnees who served in Iraq and other Asian countries," says Daniel Kutta, the groups publicist. Kutta served in Iraq right from the early years of the deployments in 2005.

"We are in hundreds of thousands in the country. We are trained in many disciplines and if we are organised. We can ably contribute to the development of this country," says Brian Kayenje, the Chairman of the group.

He said that the main objective of the group is to mobilise members to carry out income generating activities, including agriculture, metal works and cottage industries.

"Many of our members are already practicing these enterprises, however, we want to encourage those who are not working after returning from the desert to start working," Kayenje says.

More than 50,000 Ugandans have since 2005 been hired to offer guard duties to American companies in Iraq. Some of the companies that hired the services of Ugandan security guards include Askar Security Services, Watertight Security Services and Rashak Security Services. In total, there are 24 registered companies from Uganda that recruit security guards for the external labour market in the Middle East.

In the early years, working as a guard in Iraq was seen by most Ugandans as a ‘goldmine' because of the package that those who went there came back home with in the early years.

In the past Ugandan guards were paid more than US$1500 (sh5m) a month. However, gradually, payments reduced just like the number of deployments. In the last five years, Afghanistan has been the more preferred destination. However, many of the returnees squandered their earnings and are now jobless, hence the need to bring them together.

"All these people were trained in holding weapons. If they are not harnessed for developmental purposes, you never know they may be tempted into doing bad things," Eria Lule, the general secretary of the group, says.  

The group has got connections across the country , which gives it a national appeal. "We have got a member in almost every district of Uganda,"  says Charles Mulondo, who is in charge of welfare.