KAMPALA, Uganda: The Uganda externalization sector through their newly formed Association of Uganda Federation of Foreign Recruitment Agencies (UFFRA) could be headed for greater things after the sector was forwarded to the President for funding.

This happened last Saturday during Patriotism club celebrations held at Kololo Independence Grounds. During the event, the MC was seen presenting a group of UFFRA leadership headed by their Chairperson, Caroline Beinamaryo to the President.

President Yoweri Museveni tasked his Personal Assistant to consider them for a meeting with him as soon as possible. It is understood that the Association leadership recently presented their comprehensive document to some government officials about the opportunities, challenges and the way forward for the Labour Externalization sub-sector.

UFFRA wants a revolving Fund from government to help youth who wish to go for jobs abroad but are unable to find funds to pay for the travel processes. The youth would pay back the loans after they have started earning and working in the foreign countries.

In his speech at Kololo, Museveni noted that labour externalisation to North America, Europe and the Middle East provides an opportunity for Uganda to solve the youth unemployment problem. Museveni also applauded the Uganda Patriotism secretariat for organizing such a colorful event that was attended by thousands of Ugandan youths.

“Uganda has a total population of approximate 42m and the public sector can only employ up to only 480,000 Ugandans while the rest can only be employed in the private sector,” Museveni said, adding that his government will strengthen the Entandikwa (Capital) Programme that will be operationalized at the district level to provide capital for the unemployed youth who would like to create employment. The President received several business proposals made by the youth to be considered by the president’s office for funding.

UFFRA Chairperson, Beinamaryo has since said that the current unemployment surge of the Ugandan youth can also be solved by the labour externalization programme through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development where line Minister Janat B. Mukwaya has done a commendable job to streamline the labour externalization industry.

In an interview, Beinamaryo noted that more than 800,000 Ugandans are currently working in the Diaspora and directly improving the lives of their dependants and families. “Labour externalization could be looked at as the immediate short term solution to the current youth unemployment problem that Uganda is facing,’’ Beinamaryo said.

She explained that 300,000 jobs have been created in the Diaspora for Ugandans in the last two years alone. She revealed that the federation in an effort to create employment has faced a number of challenges such as red tape in government where the process of vetting candidates in labour ministry and Security agencies (ISO, INTERPOL) is delayed.

Beinamaryo added that lack of Labor Attaches in the Embassies in the Countries where Ugandans are deployed has also been a problem in the sector so much that when a Ugandan gets a problem, they have nowhere to run to for help.

’’Arbitrary arrests and office closures by Police and authorities have also been rampant; offices of labour recruitment companies have been raided while others have been closed,” Beinamaryo noted, she adds that these challenges have affected the recruitment companies’ abilities from creating more opportunities for Ugandans abroad. She requested the government to provide more support to the sector since it has the potential of creating more than 200,000 jobs for Ugandans annually.

She further requested government to work with them by agreeing to create a Directorate and a one stop centre (Ministry of Gender, ISO, Interpol, Immigration, Ministry of foreign affairs) under the President’s office. “We source employment for hundreds of Ugandans in the fight against unemployment annually,” Beinamaryo revealed.

In addition, the federation asked government to consider a joint effort in creating a revolving fund to assist the poor youth, who target selling their land and Property in order to afford the requirements to travel and work abroad. They also requested the government to help the innocent persons that were arrested before the investigations yet they were fully cleared by the Ministry to travel to Saudi Arabia.

It should be noted that in the recent past, Police and the State House Anti -Corruption Unit have carried arrests of many bosses of external recruiting agencies , who have since been  charged  before courts with human trafficking , extortion of money from the youth among others.

Left with no option, the Investigator established, a reasonable number of member companies recently resolved to walk away in a parallel direction to create a new one successfully named Uganda Federation of Foreign Recruitment Agencies (UFFRA), with attractive accountability proposals that might see UAERA, land onto ground like a pack of playing cards.

In the recent past, individual labour export companies have exceptionally suffered negative publicity resulting from impatient employment seekers claiming loss of funds. “Many have faced the unwarranted humiliation by Col. Edith Nakalema [head State House Anticorruption Unit]’s wrath through the media,” said one of the new faction members.

At the height of the negative media, members pressurized the Association to stand firm and protect them by explaining to public the formalities through which jobs are sought but in vain. Fake companies found their way into the industry, hence spoiling its image but with little or no effort by the Association to cramp down on them.

Whereas such management glitches were not bad enough, members also cite finances mishandling by the Association. It has reportedly taken years since they last heard of the treasurer’s report, even with them promptly and fully paying their subscription fees. “We were as good as orphans, every company handling their challenges with no feel of belonging to the organization,” the source offered last night.

Barely two weeks into its inception, UFFRA leaders recently sought out Gen. Salim Saleh at his Kapeeka residence and handed him a report on their sector’s challenges, opportunities and prospects. Convinced, Gen. Saleh not only blessed but also recommended them to the First Citizen, the President.

Indeed, at the Patriotism Clubs’ fete at Kololo Airstrip on Saturday, the group was introduced to, and had a word with the President. Led by their interim Chair Ms. Carol Baine the Federation successfully requested for an appointment with the Principal. “The President tasked his Principal Personal Assistant (PPA) Molly Kamukama to place the appointment soonest,” offered the source.

Among the UFFRA proposals which could have attracted Gen Saleh and his big brother the President, is the provision of a Government Youths revolving fund which could be channeled through the association to help the young people who would wish to work abroad but without money to facilitate their dreams. They propose that the Youth Fund can extend them soft loans which they could pay back upon earning from their jobs abroad.

Government Okays development  

Speaking at the aforementioned Kololo function mainly attended by the youth, President Museveni commended the externalization of labour efforts by agencies, saying the current labour vacuum in North America, larger Europe and Middle East provides an opportunity for Uganda’s youth unemployment problem. “Uganda has a total population of approximate 42,000,000 and the public sector can only employ up to only 480,000 Ugandans while the rest can only be employed in the private sector,” observed the President.

The UFFRA Chairlady Baine has since said that the current unemployment surge of the Ugandan youth can also be solved by the labour externalization programme through the Ministry of Gender labour and social development. Baine noted that more than 800,000 Ugandans are currently working in the diaspora and directly improving the lives of their dependents and families back home.

Speaking to the Investigator last night, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development Spokesman Frank Mugabi confirmed knowledge of UFFRA but not yet officially. He however said the Ministry welcomes any Association so long as their focus is on streamlining the industry. “The minister has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with many countries and still doing the same with others. Our concern is that any association in the industry performs our obligation to the letter. Ours is to regulate them, no matter how many in number,” he said.

The Investigator learnt that until the formation of UFFRA, UAERA had a membership of 140, a number that has been inevitably affected by the former’s creation by 80 members, leaving the latter standing at only 70. As to why the situation came to this is a story of another day, for efforts to reach out to UAERA administration Chairman Andrew Kameraho were futile as his known number wasn’t going through.