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Ugandan officials have issued a warning to young women in areas where foreign contractors are working, following an alarming rise in cases of Ugandan girls becoming pregnant by foreign road construction workers.
Simon Mundeyi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of International Affairs, revealed that in the past two weeks alone, 16 young women had approached the ministry for assistance after falling pregnant by contractors, only to be abandoned once the men returned to their countries.
Mundeyi explained that many of the girls did not know the names, nationalities, or even the details of the men involved.
“When you ask them the names and details of the people that impregnated them, they have no idea. They don't know their names, their countries of origin, or what they do or look like,” he said.
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The girls, according to Mundeyi, were often enticed by the contractors' promises of money, believing that the government would be able to help them once they became pregnant.
However, the reality was far different, with no legal recourse for the girls, who have been left stranded with children and no support.
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Government’s Efforts to Combat the Problem
The Ministry has conducted investigations into the foreign companies operating on Ugandan roads, discovering that many of the workers involved in these relationships were, in fact, prisoners serving out their sentences.
“We have learnt that most of the workers these companies bring here are actually prisoners who come here to serve their sentences,” Mundeyi said.
This has raised serious concerns about the vulnerabilities of local girls who may be easily misled into relationships with these foreign workers, often unaware of their true identities and backgrounds.
Previous Incidents and Consequences for Projects
This disturbing trend is not a new one. In previous years, similar incidents led to international scrutiny and caused issues for Ugandan infrastructure projects.
In 2015 the World Bank Group cancelled funding to the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (TSDP) after an investigation discovered that Chinese contractors sexually abused and impregranted under-age girls in Kamwenge district.
The probe detailed serious allegations of road workers’ sexual relations with minor girls in the community, and sexual harassment of female employees.
In light of these concerns, Mundeyi and the Ministry have issued a public plea to all young women living in areas where foreign contractors are working to exercise caution.
“If someone hits on you, try to get their name, get a copy of their passport, and ask them questions before having their babies, because they will vanish from you,” he urged.