Ugandans banned from travelling to United Arab Emirates

A source from the Ugandan Embassy in Abu-Dhabi said that all Ugandans and Nigerians will be required to present a certificate of good conduct and around 5,000 Dirham (Shs5.3 million) on their bank account in order to be allowed into the country.

According to the source, the restrictions come on the backdrop of rising criminal activity and illegal immigration.

“The new guidelines apply to all Ugandans and Nigerians. Whether you are a tourist or a casual laborer or a housekeeper. You need to have Shs 5 million in your pocket to come to UAE, anything short of that, you remain home. Ugandans and Nigerians had turned into crooks, conning people and sleeping on streets," the source said.

However, Ronnie Mukundane, the spokesperson of the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA), said that the new policy will only apply to Ugandans who travel to the country on vistor's visa not those who go on employment visas.

“The difference is that labor recruitment companies take Ugandans on employment visas. The blacklisted Ugandans and Nigerians are those who access UAE on a visit visa. If you say you are going for tourism, you must have some money to spend. UAE is deporting Ugandans who went on visit visas and over-stayed. If you are going to work, you must have an employment contract, so you access UAE on an employment visa. The directive is not for us dealing in labor export,” Mukundane said.

Henry Mayega, the Ugandan consul general in Dubai, recently said that the Ugandan government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UAE government to simplify labour externalisation. The memorandum is set to be implemented in the nearby future, according to Mayega.

“We need to tighten controls on the companies that do labor externalization. The consulate is mobilizing the diaspora to do all manner of things that contribute to the development of Uganda,” he said.

Earlier this year, the UAE government offered over 600 Ugandans free tickets to return to Uganda following their detention at Dubai Central Jail, where they were being held for over-staying and accumulating fines.