More than 20 foreign nationals who are illegally staying in Uganda without working permits and travel documents are been deported a monthly basis.
This is according to Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to The Monitor, the ministry revealed that most of the foreigners enter the country using tourist visas and end up seeking local jobs in downtown Kampala and other places.
Speaking to this publication yesterday, Mr Simon Mundeyi, the ministry spokesperson, said upon arrest, the foreigners are taken to court and then deported. “We deport on average 10 foreigners every two weeks; after the court processes, they are deported to their respective countries,” Mr Mundeyi said. He added: “We do deport those who contravene the immigration laws irrespective of the country of origin.”
Early this year, a section of unemployed youth expressed dissatisfaction with the Equal Opportunities Commission over the influx of foreign nationals who they accused of working in low skill jobs such as security guards. “Some of them enter the country on students’ visas and experts in companies but you find them working in factories, supermarkets and hardware shops without work permits,” Mr Mundeyi said.
He advised foreigners with expired work permits to renew them. “For those whose work permits have expired, they have been asked to renew them but with the help of their embassies in Kampala because many of them attempt to change nationality after knowing their permits have expired,” he added. The foreigners are often arrested in operations across the country, especially in the border districts. For instance, in 2021, a court in Kisoro District sentenced to a caution 20 foreign nationals who pleaded guilty to illegal entry before they were deported.
