The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development will soon repatriate a Ugandan citizen identified as Prossy Nambalirwa who has been stranded in Saudi Arabia.
Nambalirwa’s video showcasing her wounded body went viral on social media, where she is seen pleading with the company that recruited her to urgently bring her back to Uganda, as she is not only physically wounded but also mentally ill.
According to the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Hon. Esther Anyakun, government has intervened and rescued Nambalirwa from the residence where she suffered torture to the hospital in Saudi Arabia.
Anyakun said the distressed migrant worker has not been able to travel in such a condition as she required some level of treatment.
“We have had to ensure that she does not travel while she is still in critical condition, but now she is in a better state. I will be in Riyadh [Saudi Arabia] on Monday and I will come back with the girl,” said Anyakun relieving Hon. Gorreth Namugga (NUP, Mawokota County South) who raised Nambalirwa’s plight as a matter of national importance.
Namugga observed that her constituent, Nambalirwa is one of the many Ugandans facing torture in Saudi Arabia and asked government to take interest in the situations of its citizens working abroad.
“I would implore this Parliament to get interested in what Ugandans go through as migrant workers. A lot of tax is collected but this should not be the only source of revenue, the lives of citizens should be protected,” she said.
She also asked government to fasttrack the bill on labour externalisation and called for a data base of migrant workers to help in monitoring the tracing of those who might encounter threats while on duty.
The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa asked the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development to follow up Namugga’s prayers on labour externalisation.
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