The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has criticised the government for what it described as a widening gap between public messaging on workers’ welfare and the lived realities of ordinary Ugandans, following this year’s Labour Day celebrations.
Speaking at the party’s weekly press briefing in Najjanankumbi on Monday, FDC Party President Patrick Oboi Amuriat said Labour Day should serve as a moment of reflection on workers’ rights and dignity, but has instead become detached from the challenges facing citizens.
He traced the origins of International Labour Day to the 1886 labour movement in Chicago, where workers fought for the eight-hour workday, arguing that while such struggles secured rights globally, many Ugandan workers are yet to fully benefit from them.
According to Amuriat, this year’s celebrations in Buikwe District reflected what he called a pattern of political self-congratulation rather than meaningful engagement with workers’ concerns.
“The celebrations in Buikwe District was not a celebration of workers, but the usual ritual of meet and greet of the NRM, totally detached from the intended purpose,” he said.
He added that while officials exchanged praise and awarded medals, the situation of workers remained unchanged. He cited boda boda riders, factory workers, market vendors, nurses, teachers, and casual labourers as among those still grappling with low wages and job insecurity.
Amuriat also highlighted rising youth unemployment, noting that thousands of graduates enter an economy unable to absorb them, forcing many into informal work such as street vending and small-scale trade.
He criticised the government’s handling of urban vendors, accusing authorities of evictions carried out without relocation plans, compensation, or viable alternatives.
“This is not a failure of their vision… they become vendors. They sell airtime, food, clothes, and goods on the pavements of our cities,” he said.
The FDC leader further pointed to what he described as a distorted economic structure, where access to wealth is increasingly tied to proximity to political power.
He cited what he termed a growing “deal economy,” characterised by informal arrangements, commissions, and brokerage, which many Ugandans rely on for survival.
Amuriat attributed these trends to systemic corruption, arguing that they undermine fairness and limit economic opportunity.
He also rejected claims attributed to President Yoweri Museveni that jobs are available but Ugandans are unwilling to work, describing such remarks as dismissive of prevailing economic conditions.
On wages, Amuriat criticised the government’s position that higher pay could deter investors, arguing instead that better wages stimulate consumption and economic growth.
“Workers who earn better wages become consumers. Workers who consume drive domestic demand. Domestic demand creates more jobs. That is how economies grow,” he said.
While acknowledging the enactment of the Employment (Amendment) Act, 2025, which introduces protections for domestic workers, regulates recruitment agencies, and strengthens safeguards against exploitation and harassment, Amuriat said the absence of a national minimum wage remains a major gap.
He noted that although a Minimum Wages Advisory Board framework exists, it has not been operationalised, leaving many workers without enforceable income protections.
Amuriat concluded that Labour Day should not be reduced to symbolic celebrations, calling instead for concrete reforms, including the introduction of a realistic minimum wage, stronger enforcement of labour laws, and more effective, independent trade unions.
“Uganda’s workers are not lazy or lack vision. They lack a government that is accountable, honest, and genuinely committed to their welfare,” he said.
FDC reaffirmed solidarity with workers across sectors, including teachers, healthcare workers, factory employees, informal traders, and unemployed graduates, arguing that they deserve more than what it called “recycled promises” made each Labour Day.