Government Responds to BBC Exposé on Prostitution Ring in Dubai

The Government of Uganda has responded to a recent BBC investigation that exposed a prostitution ring allegedly targeting Ugandan girls in Dubai, describing the revelations as “regrettable” and pledging thorough investigations to bring perpetrators to justice.

Hon. Esther Anyakun Davinia, the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, issued a detailed statement at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, stressing that while thousands of Ugandans lawfully migrate for work abroad under government-regulated systems, many fall prey to traffickers when they travel irregularly.

“If what was reported in the BBC story is true, it is regrettable that youthful Ugandans leave Uganda hoping for better opportunities and instead end up in horrible, exploitative situations,” Anyakun said. She added that the government is working with the UAE authorities to investigate the case, including allegations against a man identified as Abbey Mwesigwa, who is accused of running the trafficking network.

Uganda faces high youth unemployment, with between 600,000 and 700,000 young people entering the labour market annually. According to the 2024 census, more than half of the youth population, about 5.3 million, are neither in employment, education, nor training (NEETs), a group considered highly vulnerable to exploitation.

In 2005, the government launched the Labour Externalisation Programme to create formal, regulated channels for Ugandans seeking employment abroad, primarily in the Middle East. To date, 256 recruitment companies are licensed to place workers overseas, mainly in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait.

The programme has created more than 280,000 jobs and generated remittances of about USD 1.3 billion last year, according to the Ministry. However, Anyakun acknowledged persistent challenges, including human trafficking, exploitation by illegal recruiters, limited legal support for workers in host countries, and inadequate monitoring of recruitment companies.

Anyakun emphasised that the Ministry does not recognise the alleged ringleader named in the BBC exposé and insisted that victims of the reported sex ring are likely to have travelled outside the formal labour migration framework.

“It is highly unlikely for Ugandan migrant workers who have gone through the Ministry’s formal labour externalisation processes to end up in the kind of exploitation reported by the BBC,” she said, noting that many victims travel on visit visas or are trafficked by unlicensed agents.

The minister added that trafficking in persons is a global multi-billion-dollar crime that requires cross-border cooperation to combat.

To strengthen protections for migrant workers, government has:

• Revised regulations in 2021 to tighten licensing, increase penalties, and make recruitment companies jointly liable for workers’ welfare.
• Signed Bilateral Labour Agreements with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE, though the UAE agreement is yet to take effect.
• Introduced the External Employment Management System (EEMIS) to digitalize licensing and worker clearance.
• Established a 24-hour call centre and migrant resource centres to support workers in distress.
• Expanded pre-departure orientation for migrant workers from 7 to 14 days.

The minister urged Ugandans to avoid irregular migration and instead use formal, regulated pathways when seeking jobs abroad.

“The fight against human trafficking is a call for everyone—the individual, family, community, local leaders, security agencies, the media, cultural leaders, church leaders and government,” Anyakun said.

She concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring safe, orderly, and decent migration for all Ugandans.