Day

By our reporter
www.mknewslink.com
In Kampala
Youth unemployment is one of key challenges threatening the future of the country particularly the NRM regime.
83% of Ugandans aged 18- 30 remain unemployed, which has prompted them into engage in numerous illegal activities.
This has spiraled criminality in the country as these youths compel themselves to survive under harsh living conditions.
Government can’t combat this threat due to unlimited resources and funds.
As a result, government through Ministry of Gender licensed 170 labour migration companies in Uganda which are tasked with sourcing laborers, facilitating them and sending them abroad to work, earn a living and in return invest their funds in Uganda and contribute greatly to the growth of the economy and the country as a whole.
Some of the leading genuine agencies into labour migration include Forbes Enterprises, 2Nile Public Relations Agency limited, The Gideon men Ltd Normandy Company Uganda Ltd, JAG Security Group Ltd, Security Link Limited, Ham property Services and Management Ltd, Maghrib Agencies Limited, Saracen U Limited Premier Recruiting Company, among others.
It must be noted that exporting labor is one of the most delicate undertakings a company can indulge in because of the cost the business comes with.
However, many companies have tried to be professional.
A few cases have risen where some agencies engaged in fraud, extortion and theft.
Other companies have been accused of abandoning workers once they board the plane or when they step foot on foreign land for work.
But as a means of solving this setback, Ministry of Gender has revoked licenses of companies which constantly fail to review their internal policies especially in streamlining systems and sorting that impediment.
Further, government has interacted with these companies which are indicted in the practices of avoiding, abandoning or ignoring issues raised by the workers taken abroad.
Ugandan workers are mostly taken to Middle East, UAE and Canada.
Generally, there has been a ray of hope of combating the unemployment by these labor migrating agencies and also earning of foreign exchange.
However ,State House Anti-Corruption Unit led by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema unearthed an illicit action by officers attached to Interpol who fraudulently obtain money from these agencies promising favors particularly in awarding certificate of good conduct to workers sourced by the labor firms.
Other officers of Interpol fraudulently get money promising travel documents.
Nakalema, revealed this disturbing information to Minister of State for Labor, Hon. Rukutana Mwesigwa, acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Ebitu James, Director Labor, Mr Martin Wandera, Commissioner Employment Services, Mr. Egulu Lawrence and officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and security agencies in a meeting held in Kampala.
Also the meeting heard that Interpol delays to give clearance to the labor companies.
“The delay takes over 6 months yet some neighboring countries take only 2 weeks,” an affected source said.
The delay is caused by ill motives of extorting money and bribes by Interpol officials.
Owners of these companies appeal to government to reign in on Interpol or else they lose out business.
Minister of Labor Frank Tumwebaze has in the recent past promised to strengthen internal and external monitoring of Ugandan migrant workers and also strengthen community mobilization against trafficking for labor exploitation.
He added that Government signed bilateral agreements with Uganda labor export destinations, better working conditions are being established for Ugandans.
Some companies are stuck with over 2000 workers whose jobs are readily available abroad but can’t travel because Interpol hasn’t cleared them.
Interpol director AIGP Moses Balimwoyo however, defends his entity for trying hard to streamline systems particularly adapting to the automation method of registering applicants seeking certificates of good conduct.
“We managed to drop the old method of writing down. Because this was abetting forgeries. And cases of forgeries were many then,” Mr Balimwoyo told this website at his office.
He adds that he has procured 8 machines with each being operated by one officer who works on 70-100 applicants.
“That means in a day we register over 700 people which is not a bad number,” he said.
But we reminded the AIGP that some labor companies have thousands of workers who need clearance.
Balimwoyo, one of the longest serving police officers admitted that his directorate has been infiltrated by very corrupt juniors whom he is trying to rid.
“I arrested some of them because they were conniving with other individuals to forge document he said,” Balimwoyo said.

www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
Email: wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: +256702680106

By Wilber Muhwezi Kasibante
www.mknewslink.com
In Bushenyi
The minister of Local government Raphael Magyezi has warned politicians from Igara West and the entire country to stop using religions and tribes as means of looking for votes.
He said this today at Kyikamba Mosque in Kyamuhunga town council Bushenyi district during a fundraising drive to construct a 600m mosque.
Magyezi noted that the people of Igara west and other areas should shun such leaders because President Museveni got rid of politics based on religion and tribe.
Magyezi contributed 300 iron sheets to roof the mosque and they were delivered to the site before the fundraising ended.
The Mp for Ruhinda County Dononzio Kahonda contributed over 3.5 m on the fundraising and asked the leaders of Igara West to unite and play clean politics.
Before a fundraising Magyezi attended a meeting at the sub county headquarters and leaders requested him to contest again on NRM ticket for Igara West parliamentary seat.
Matia Kakoni Mbebembire, the district councilor for Kyamuhunga Sub County said they took a decision to endorse Magyezi because he is hard working and that’s why the president has made him a cabinet minister for a strong ministry.
www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
Email: wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: +256702680106