The state Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development (Gender and Culture) who at the same time is the Woman Member of Parliament Bunyangabu District, Hon Peace Mutuzo Regis has urged parents to sensitize their children especially girls seeking employment outside Uganda. Hon Mutuzo said this and many more when she was hosted on Hits Fm on 20th July 2019 during ToroDev’s supported live weekly program ‘Orukurato’ that is aired every Saturday 8:00-10:00 pm to answer questions as to why there is increased human trafficking in the country.
‘’ I thank the sponsors and management of this program, it is true in Uganda today we are experiencing human trafficking and the issues is directly under my Ministry especially for those who have seen how our young girls are suffering in Arab countries’’, said Hon Mutuzo. I want to assure the general public that the videos being shared on social media for Ugandan girls stranded in Arab countries are true and as government we somehow found it hard to get an entry point because we tried to find out how these girls left the country and found that they illegally left the country. These girls get individual people not companies who con them of their money and when they manage to cross the border they live them in the hands of strange people who now do anything they want because they know tracking them is somehow difficult.
Hon. Mutuzo Peace Regis, Minister & Woman Member of Parliament Bunyangabu District
I want to urge the parents not to be that blind but mobilize and encourage their sons and daughters to benefit from the existing Government programs like Youth Livelihood Program (YLP), Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP) because at the end of it all they can employ themselves and earn a living while in their country without undergoing the suffering witnessed on social media platforms. If they are to seek employment outside Uganda, they should look for a reputable company registered with government that is mandated to take people for employment abroad. Youth should be cautious in reading and understanding the contracts they sign with these employers outside the country. Our people are not used to work for long hours under the conditions they work in, have inadequate training and all these limit their work while outside their country.
For example about 300,000 youths sneaked out of the country to Oman just this year 2019. As government we have visited all recruiting companies and those found with some anomalies their licenses are rebooked. We also have liaisons offices now in countries where our people are and they are helping us track where Ugandans are and what they are doing. I once again urge our people when they reach those countries to register with our offices there so that we can keep track in case of any challenges.
While giving accountability for her constituency the Minister said the district had no medical ambulance and now it has received one much as we need to further lobby for more. Schools have been constructed for example Kajumiro Primary School is under construction to help our children from walking long distances to access education, electricity is being extended to some parts of the district, roads have been opened and more service delivery is planned for our people of Bunyangabu District. Hon Mutuzo further said there is seven hundred billion shillings (700billion) earmarked for Agro-LED projects under Rwenzori Master Plan for districts to do projects and our districts here in the region will be piloted. I urge my fellow leaders to avoid politics and think of projects like values addition industries that will help our people work at the same time earn income to improve their living standards. Generally services in communities have improved but it is unfortunate that our people are still dying of HIV/AIDS. There is need for further sensitization so that our people can protect themselves because Aids has no cure. I promise to talk about it and lobby more from government while in parliament.
During the 2 hours live discussion, people were given chance to participate through sms and call-ins; ‘’Some roads are in bad state and some parts of Kisomoro SibCounty where they constructed they never considered pathways for people, something should be done’’, said Amos a caller from Kisomoro Sub County in Bunyangabu District, ‘’Of all villages in Kibiito Town council it is only Kangoma village without electricity, when will electricity be extended there?’’, asked Faridah a caller from Kangoma village in Bunyangab District, ‘’The people we elected last time were accusing incubates of not performing and we thought change would help us improve services in our communities but to my surprise these people are not different from the ones we refused to elect, what can we do to get committed people to solve our problem?, asked Sunday William from Kabonero in Bunyangabu District through an sms.
We are grateful to all our development partners for the support.
