Ugandans Trapped in Myanmar Slave Camps to be Repatriated

The Ugandan government has announced that 21 citizens who were trafficked to Myanmar and held in forced labour camps operated by international criminal syndicates are expected to return home next week. They were lured to Myanmar with false promises of lucrative employment, with one victim believing he was travelling to China for a job. Government Spokesperson Allan Kasujja says negotiations between the Ugandan and Myanmar governments are nearing completion, paving the way for the victims' repatriation.

The 21 Ugandans were among many who fell prey to international human trafficking networks targeting foreign nationals with fraudulent employment opportunities. Recent reports indicate that Myanmar has emerged as a major hub for these networks, with victims 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, effectively cutting them off from their families.

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. Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Adonia Ayebare confirmed the release. The victims are expected to be handed over to Uganda's Ambassador to Myanmar, Betty Bigombe, in Yangon before their repatriation. Kasujja urged Ugandans to exercise extreme caution when pursuing employment opportunities abroad.

The repatriation of the 21 victims underscores the growing threat of human trafficking, with Ugandans increasingly falling prey to international criminal networks exploiting the desperation for employment. In recent years, hundreds of Ugandans have been lured to the Middle East, Asia, and Russia with promises of lucrative jobs, only to find themselves trapped in forced labour, domestic servitude, cybercrime compounds, and conflict zones.

This is not the first repatriation operation conducted by the Ugandan government. 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 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.

Approximately 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. Kasujja says the repatriation of the detainees is complicated by their scattered locations and the need to verify their citizenship before arrangements can be made to bring them home.

The government has urged prospective migrant workers to scrutinise job offers, verify employers, and ask difficult questions before committing to travel. The Directorate for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons at the Ministry of Internal Affairs has warned that many victims are young information technology graduates promised well-paying jobs, only to be confined in overcrowded dormitories and subjected to forced labour, with some required to generate as much as $10,000 per person daily.

Key points

• 21 Ugandans to be repatriated from Myanmar after months of captivity in forced labour camps
• Ugandans are increasingly falling prey to international human trafficking networks exploiting the desperation for employment
• The government has urged citizens to exercise extreme caution when pursuing employment opportunities abroad