Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | The Ministry of Internal Affairs has initiated an investigation into labour exporters accused of illegally withholding the passports of job applicants they failed to place in employment.
The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) has reported numerous complaints from Ugandans whose passports have been retained by labour exporters for extended periods, sometimes spanning months or even years.
Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa, head of the DCIC, revealed that over 2,000 passports are currently held by these exporters, preventing their rightful owners from accessing them despite the exporters’ failure to secure employment for the applicants.
Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lydia Arithea Nakiwala, stated that a thorough probe has been launched with the aim of arresting and prosecuting any labour exporters found illegally withholding passports.
Nakiwala emphasized that passports are government-issued personal documents and should not be retained by third parties. She also mentioned that labour exporters had previously been warned about this practice but have not complied.
“Earlier on we had talked about labour companies holding people’s passports. We urged them to return the passports to their owners as soon as possible. It is not acceptable to hold someone’s passport and we shall now take it up to the law,” Nakiwala said.
Labour exporters frequently recruit youth, predominantly females, desperate for jobs from various regions of the country, applying for their passports and travel visas on their behalf. These laborers then repay the costs involved once they secure domestic employment in Saudi Arabia. Typically, the first month or two of employment is dedicated to reimbursing the expenses incurred during the recruitment process.
A former member of the now-split Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA), who requested anonymity, explained that his company is among those illegally withholding passports. He noted that labour exporters invest significant amounts of money in processing passports with the expectation of promptly securing jobs for their clients. However, unforeseen circumstances sometimes prevent these plans from materializing.
“When jobs are not promptly secured, we cannot just hand over the passports to owners for free. Imagine I have paid Shs250,000 for each of the 200 external employment seekers to get their passports. In the end, I only secure jobs for about 100. If I give back 100 passports to people who have not got the jobs without them refunding my 250,000 shillings, I will have lost 25 million shillings,” a former UAERA member explained.
Ganaafa Ali, currently in Saudi Arabia, shared that many of his colleagues could not afford the 250,000 Shillings required for passport and visa processing, but were assisted by companies and repaid the costs once they started working.
“Even me I have people I have helped to bring to Saudi Arabia by sending them money but I made sure they paid me back in their first two months. It is a common practice that companies or individuals process passports and Visa for people coming to work here (Saudi Arabia) and they pay back,” Ganaafa said.
Also Read: Labour exporters warned for illegally withholding 8,000 passports
Some labor exporters have gone to the extent of abandoning their clients’ passports at the Saudi Arabia embassy after failing to secure jobs. The Saudi Arabia embassy has returned over 100 passports to the DCIC.
Those who were taken to the Saudi Arabian embassy to process visas but did not secure employment have been advised to check with the office of the deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Some labour exporters have gone so far as to abandon their clients’ passports at the Saudi Arabian embassy after failing to secure jobs. The embassy has returned over 100 passports to the DCIC.
Individuals who were taken to the Saudi Arabian embassy to process visas but did not secure employment have been advised to check with the office of the deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
