Robert Byamugisha, a vigilant Ugandan citizen, has submitted a formal petition to the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) urging an investigation into Irish national Jerry Anthony Cawley, who is accused of working in Uganda without a valid work permit. The petition, also copied to Major General Apollo Gowa Kasiita, Director of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC), alleges that Cawley has violated Uganda’s immigration and labour laws while employed by Lagan Group (UK), a foreign contractor managing the EUR 215 million Namanve Industrial Park project, a cornerstone of Uganda’s infrastructure development.
Byamugisha claims that for seven years, Cawley has entered Uganda on visitor visas while engaging in activities that constitute employment under Ugandan law. These include conducting high-level business meetings at prominent venues such as Kampala Serena Hotel and the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) offices, as well as performing site inspections, issuing project directives, and overseeing operations at the Namanve Industrial Park. Such actions, Byamugisha argues, require a valid work permit, which Cawley allegedly lacks.
Additionally, the petitioner accuses Lagan Group of failing to register with the DCIC to obtain an immigration code, a mandatory requirement for foreign companies employing expatriates in Uganda. This alleged non-compliance highlights significant gaps in oversight and enforcement, particularly for high-value, government-linked projects like the Namanve Industrial Park, which is critical to Uganda’s economic growth. Byamugisha contends that such violations undermine the country’s legal framework and deprive Ugandan workers of job opportunities in strategic sectors.
“As a concerned citizen, I respectfully urge your office, through the DCIC, to thoroughly investigate Cawley’s immigration status and work activities, scrutinize Lagan Group’s legal standing in Uganda, and take decisive enforcement action to ensure compliance with our laws,” Byamugisha stated in his petition. He called for authorities to use the Electronic Immigration Management System (e-Immigration System) to verify his claims, emphasizing the need to protect Uganda’s labour market and uphold the rule of law.
Efforts to contact Cawley or Lagan Group for comment were unsuccessful. This is not the first controversy surrounding Lagan Group; last year, it faced allegations of illegally paying honoraria to UIA officials under the Business Park project, raising further questions about its adherence to regulations.
The petition highlights broader concerns about foreign contractors bypassing Uganda’s immigration and labour laws and the effectiveness of monitoring mechanisms for expatriate employment.
The IGG and DCIC have yet to respond publicly to the allegations, leaving stakeholders awaiting further developments in this unfolding case.
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