The government has announced that 21 Ugandans trafficked to Myanmar and held in forced labour camps operated by international criminal syndicates are expected to return home next week, following months in captivity.
Government spokesperson Allan Kasujja said the Ugandans were lured to Myanmar with promises of lucrative employment, only to find themselves trapped in compounds where victims are forced to participate in online scams.
In one case, a victim believed he was travelling to China for a job after being persuaded by a relative, only to end up in a Myanmar compound that officials have described as a modern-day slave camp.
Kasujja said negotiations between the Ugandan and Myanmar governments were nearing completion. Once finalised, the victims are expected to be handed over to Uganda’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Betty Bigombe, in Yangon before being repatriated.
One of the victims, Felix Adupe, was released by Myanmar authorities on Thursday and handed over to Edan, a non-governmental organisation providing medical care and safe custody, according to Foreign Affairs minister Ambassador Adonia Ayebare.
Kasujja also revealed that 12 other Ugandans arrested in Zambia in August remain in prison after travelling to the country for employment on the eve of polling day. The group is suspected of involvement in ballot stuffing.
He said efforts to secure their repatriation had been complicated by their scattered locations and the need to verify their citizenship before arrangements could be made to bring them home.
Kasujja urged Ugandans to exercise extreme caution when pursuing employment opportunities abroad, particularly those involving travel to Russia and other foreign destinations, even when the offers come through relatives or trusted acquaintances.
He advised prospective migrant workers to scrutinise job offers, verify prospective employers and ask difficult questions before committing to travel.
Recent reports from the Directorate for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons at the Ministry of Internal Affairs indicate that Myanmar has emerged as a major hub for international human trafficking networks targeting foreign nationals through fraudulent employment opportunities, often advertised as jobs in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.
Many of the victims are young information technology graduates promised well-paying jobs in Thailand, Cambodia and China. However, upon arrival, they are trafficked into rebel-held areas of Myanmar, where their passports and mobile phones are confiscated, cutting them off from their families and restricting their freedom of movement.
They are subsequently confined in overcrowded dormitories and subjected to forced labour, with criminal syndicates compelling them to operate online scams. Some victims are reportedly required to generate as much as $10,000 (about Shs 40 million) per person daily.
Uganda has repeatedly mounted rescue and repatriation operations for citizens trapped in these criminal compounds.
In May 2024, 23 Ugandans were repatriated after being held in Tachileik since 2023 and forced to participate in cryptocurrency scams.
In May 2025, another 26 Ugandans, comprising 13 men and 13 women, were repatriated following negotiations involving Myanmar and Thai authorities. By July 2025, the government had confirmed that a total of 51 Ugandans had been brought home that year.
The impending return of the 21 victims highlights the growing threat of human trafficking, with Ugandans increasingly falling prey to international criminal networks exploiting their search for employment.
In recent years, hundreds of Ugandans have reportedly been lured to the Middle East, Asia and Russia with promises of lucrative jobs, only to end up trapped in forced labour, domestic servitude, cybercrime compounds and conflict zones.
Many are subjected to beatings, starvation, withheld wages and isolation from their families. Others remain missing, while survivors return home traumatised and financially devastated, having failed to secure the jobs they were promised.