Parliament Pledges Stricter Laws to Safeguard Ugandan Migrant Workers

The Parliament of Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to reviewing and strengthening legislative frameworks aimed at protecting Ugandan migrant workers abroad. This pledge was made by Speaker Jacob Markson Oboth during a meeting with Sanusi Tejan Savage, the Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Uganda, on Wednesday, 11 November 2026.

During the discussions, Speaker Oboth highlighted the severe challenges faced by citizens seeking employment overseas, noting that his office regularly receives desperate pleas from families in distress. Many impoverished households resort to selling vital assets like land to send their children abroad, often facing tragic outcomes without adequate state mechanisms to repatriate deceased relatives.

Oboth emphasized the cultural importance of a respectful burial, urging the IOM to help influence government policy to establish proper repatriation procedures. Furthermore, the Speaker addressed ongoing petitions concerning human trafficking, forced labor, sexual exploitation, and citizens trapped in foreign conflict zones like Russia and Ukraine.

To close critical legal gaps, Oboth endorsed the introduction of dedicated anti-smuggling legislation, suggesting a Private Member’s Bill to fast-track legal tools against human traffickers. Parliamentary oversight regarding migration and border governance will be channeled through the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs.

In response, Savage reaffirmed the IOM’s enduring partnership with Uganda, which began in 1988. He detailed the organization’s humanitarian contributions, including the safe repatriation of hundreds of stranded Ugandans from the Gulf and East Asia, health surveillance at borders, and refugee resettlement initiatives.

Read the original report on the Parliament of Uganda.