The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Gen Henry Tumukunde, has challenged Uganda’s external recruitment agencies to prioritize skills development for migrant workers and noted that the country must stop exporting unskilled labour if it is to secure better wages, dignity, and stronger protection for its citizens working abroad.
Tumukunde made the remarks on Wednesday during his first engagement with external recruitment agencies and pre-departure orientation and training institutions at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. The meeting brought together key stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, review the implementation of Uganda’s External Employment Programme and advance safe, orderly and regular labour migration.
The minister said Uganda’s labour export sector must move beyond deploying mainly low-skilled workers, particularly young women, and instead invest in equipping them with skills that make them more competitive in the international labour market.
“We must invest in skills development so that Ugandan workers are better prepared to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive global labour market. You cannot be contented because you are deploying young, illiterate girls. You can do better,” Tumukunde said.
He added, “Equip these girls with better skills so that they are more valued, better respected and also earn more income, and not a mere 900 Saudi riyals per month.”
He pledged that the government would intensify negotiations with destination countries to improve working conditions, wages and protections for Ugandan migrant workers.
“On my part, I pledge to negotiate more with countries of destination for better wages, more skilled workers and more protection of our migrant workers,” he said.
Tumukunde emphasised that strengthening Uganda’s labour migration programme requires closer cooperation between government and the private sector, noting that recruitment agencies play a critical role in shaping policies that affect migrant workers.
“We must strengthen dialogue between the government and the private sector. Policy is most effective when it is informed by those who implement it and those who are directly affected by it,” he said.
He encouraged recruitment agencies to openly share the challenges they face and propose reforms that would improve the sector.
“I encourage you to speak openly about the opportunities you see, the constraints you encounter, and the reforms you believe are necessary to improve the sector. My commitment is that the Ministry will listen carefully, engage constructively, and work with all stakeholders to find practical and sustainable solutions,” Tumukunde noted.
The minister also called on agencies to embrace innovation, professionalism, transparency and continuous improvement as the international labour market continues to evolve.
He said, “Uganda must position itself to remain competitive by exporting skilled, well-prepared and productive workers.”
He said the government’s objective is to ensure that labour externalisation creates decent employment opportunities while safeguarding the welfare of Ugandans working abroad.
“Our shared goal is simple: to ensure that labour externalisation creates decent jobs, protects the rights and welfare of Ugandan workers, strengthens the confidence of destination countries, and contributes meaningfully to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation,” he added.
Tumukunde said he looked forward to building a strong partnership with all stakeholders to strengthen the sector and unlock more opportunities for Ugandans seeking employment overseas.
The meeting also heard from the Commissioner for Employment Services, Dr. Lawrence Egulu, who highlighted the achievements of the External Employment Programme since its establishment in 2005 to address unemployment and maximise the benefits of labour migration.
Egulu said the programme’s regulatory framework was revised in 2021 to improve governance and protection of migrant workers.
According to the commissioner, more than 348,473 Ugandan migrant workers were deployed abroad between 2016 and March 2026, while inward remittances exceeded $1.5 billion in 2024, demonstrating the programme’s growing contribution to employment creation and the national economy.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Simon Mulongo, called for a collective commitment to making Uganda’s labour externalisation programme safer and more accountable.
Mulongo said the success of the programme should not be judged solely by the number of workers deployed abroad or the volume of remittances sent home.
“Success should not be measured only by the number of workers deployed or remittances received, but by how well migrant workers are recruited, protected while abroad, and reintegrated upon their return.”
He urged recruitment agencies to uphold lawful recruitment practices, provide honest employment contracts and ensure respect for the dignity and rights of every Ugandan seeking work overseas.
The meeting involved the first formal engagement between the ministry’s new leadership and players in Uganda’s labour export industry, as the government seeks to strengthen oversight of the External Employment Programme while promoting safe, regular and dignified labour migration.
