The Federation of All Uganda Migrant Workers (FAUMA) has asked the government to immediately establish dedicated legal teams at Uganda’s embassies in major labour-receiving countries to help migrant workers access justice and protection.
FAUMA President Kenneth Oloka told the Nile Post that the situation for many Ugandan migrant workers remains dire, with dozens facing detention on what he described as fabricated charges, routine assault by employers, and repatriation in critical condition without any accountability from host-country authorities.
In 2025, FAUMA handled the body of Esther Nakkungu, who was repatriated with signs consistent with hanging, yet authorities have still not responded to calls for an inquiry.
According to Oloka, similar cases continue to emerge from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and other destinations, pointing to what he has described as a systematic failure to protect Ugandans working abroad.
Oloka said that on August 13, 2022, he received the bodies of two Ugandan domestic workers — Caroline Kyomuhangi and Aliza Shamim — who died in June 2022 after repeatedly reporting torture by their employers in Saudi Arabia.
Postmortem reports showed head injuries in one case and broken teeth in the other, but Oloka noted that no action has been taken since the matter was reported to the relevant Ugandan agencies.
He added that in late 2023, FAUMA received migrant worker Fridah Nakawooya from Saudi Arabia with a deep cut on her stomach, head injuries, and partial paralysis.
Despite reports implicating her employer, no investigation or diplomatic follow-up has been communicated.
“This is long overdue if the government genuinely wants to promote the safety of Ugandan migrant workers,” he said, insisting that embassy-based legal teams would help workers navigate hostile legal systems, challenge abusive employers, and secure justice for those who suffer violence or die in unclear circumstances.
FAUMA maintains that without structured legal representation in host countries, Uganda will continue to lose citizens under preventable circumstances, while their abusers face no consequences.
The Nile Post has contacted the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, the line agency responsible for management of labour externalisation in the country.