By URN
At least 40 Ugandan migrant workers have died in Europe, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and other destinations since January 2026, reigniting concerns about the safety and welfare of thousands of Ugandans seeking employment abroad.
The deaths, documented by Kyeyo Initiative Uganda, a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights and welfare of Ugandan migrant workers, have once again put the spotlight on the risks associated with labour migration.
According to Kenneth Olooka, the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of deaths at 11, followed by the UAE with 10. Six Ugandans reportedly died in the United States, while the remaining fatalities were recorded across other labour destination countries including China and Germany.
The study report moreover does not include deaths in countries where young Ugandan professionals are duped with promises of jobs like assembling drones only to end up as cannon fodder on battlefields in wars they knew nothing about before leaving home.
“The numbers continue to rise, yet many cases remain poorly investigated and inadequately documented,” Olooka told Uganda Radio Network on Monday.
Among the most recent deaths are those of Josephine Olowo and Sheila Kenyana, who died in Saudi Arabia, and Apollo Kaddu Mukasa, who died in Boston, United States. In all three cases, the exact circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear.
Their deaths mirror numerous other cases reported over the years. One such case is that of Hillary Niwetuliko, who travelled to Dubai hoping to secure a better future for his family. According to relatives, he reportedly collapsed while returning from work to his accommodation and was rushed to Rashid Hospital, where he died on February 27.
Months later, his remains were repatriated to Uganda, but the family disputed the official explanation cited only as “natural causes.” His widow, who requested anonymity said: “That explanation left us with more questions than answers, we never got a clear account of what happened.”
Her frustration reflects the experiences of many Ugandan families whose loved ones die while working abroad, only to receive unclear information about the cause of their deaths.
Prince Hassan, a specialist in labour externalisation programmes, says while labour migration has become a lifeline for thousands of unemployed and underemployed Ugandans, untreated medical conditions remain one of the leading causes of death among migrant workers.
“Many workers suffer from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes complications and kidney disease,” Hassan explains. “These conditions are often worsened by delayed access to healthcare, restrictive employment conditions and inadequate medical insurance.”
Workplace accidents also continue to claim lives. Construction workers frequently face dangers associated with falls from heights, heavy machinery, electrocution and road traffic crashes. Domestic workers, meanwhile, often operate in private homes where labour inspections and oversight are limited.
Extreme weather conditions present another growing threat. Temperatures in parts of the Gulf region regularly exceed 45 degrees Celsius during summer, exposing outdoor workers to severe heat stress, dehydration and heatstroke.
Hassan also points to fires in overcrowded worker accommodation facilities as a recurring danger. The 2025 labour camp fire in Kuwait, which reportedly killed several Ugandan workers among dozens of other foreign nationals, revealed the vulnerability of migrant labourers living in congested housing facilities.
According to government figures, more than 350 Ugandans are working abroad, particularly in the Gulf region. Their remittances contribute significantly to household incomes and USD 1.7 billion foreign exchange earnings annually.
The labour externalisation programme was introduced primarily to address youth unemployment, one of Uganda’s most persistent socio-economic challenges. Yet as deployment numbers increase, rights advocates argue that worker protection mechanisms have not kept pace.
“The human cost is undeniable, yet Uganda still lacks a comprehensive real-time tracking system for migrant workers abroad. Weak worker traceability and fragmented data collection remain major gaps,” says Olooka.
The absence of reliable and centralized data continues to complicate efforts to establish the true scale of migrant worker deaths and abuses. Kyeyo Initiative Uganda documented at least 164 migrant worker deaths in 2025 alone, suggesting that the current year’s figures could rise significantly if existing trends persist.
Beyond the tragedy of losing loved ones, many families face significant financial and legal hurdles after a migrant worker dies. Some struggle to repatriate remains, access insurance benefits or pursue compensation claims. Others encounter difficulties obtaining official documents explaining the cause of death.
Anti-trafficking activist Mariam Mwiza of Overseas Workers Voices Uganda says transparency remains one of the biggest concerns.
“Families deserve clear answers when a worker dies abroad as the process of investigating deaths, communicating with relatives and repatriating remains must be transparent, accountable and timely,” she says.
State Minister for Labour Simon Mulongo acknowledge the challenges and say reforms are underway noting that the government is working to strengthen worker protection through tighter regulation of recruitment agencies, digital monitoring systems and stronger bilateral labour agreements with destination countries.
Proposed reforms include enhanced worker registration and traceability systems, increased deployment of labour attachés, stricter oversight of recruitment companies and the creation of a migrant worker repatriation fund.
“We want labour migration to remain safe, orderly, regular and beneficial,” Mulongo says. “The objective is to protect workers while ensuring labour mobility contributes to national development.”
Uganda has enacted several laws and policies intended to safeguard migrant workers. These include the Employment Act, the Externalisation of Labour Guidelines, the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2009, and the National Migration Policy.
The Constitution of Uganda guarantees the protection of citizens and affirms respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.
Uganda has also ratified several international labour standards under the International Labour Organization (ILO), including conventions that promote fair recruitment, decent working conditions and protection against forced labour and human trafficking.
However, labour rights experts argue that enforcement remains the greatest challenge.
