Registering stranded Ugandans in UAE put on hold

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The planned evacuation of over 500 Ugandans said to be stranded in the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) hangs in the balance even after the Ugandan embassy there had earlier given a signal of their possible return.

Mustafa Ndugwa, the chairman of the Uganda Community in Dubai told Uganda Radio Network (URN) this morning that they are now waiting to hear directly from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni after media reports noted that Uganda is not planning to evacuate anyone.

Ndugwa said while they had started registering those willing to return to Uganda after holding talks with the embassy, they decided to put the process on hold until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uganda replies the letter they sent on Monday.

Considering that Uganda would be overwhelmed by a huge number of returnees requiring quarantine, he said their plan was to initially evacuate the business people who the lock down found away even as they have large batch of workers whose contracts in the UAE have been terminated.

On his part, Ismail Sebugwawo, the chairman of Ugandans in Abu Dhabi told URN that though they have stopped registering people they have told airlines to remain ready such that if the government responds or hands them the landing permit, they will just be taking off. Everyone willing to travel has to part with 2200 dirhams (about shs 2million).

Sebugwawo says while they were not the target for the initial evacuation, there are some 411 Ugandans who were laid off by a security company last month but cannot travel back because of the closure of the airport here. “Some are still in company accommodation but they find it hard to get food.

Those that have to pay their rented houses are facing more difficulties. Many I have talked to say they have no problem being quarantined”. However though the government hasn’t come out clear on the said evacuation, Patrick Mugoya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary said yesterday that government’s position is that no one can enter and get out of the country for now.

However, the majority of the 53 people that have tested positive for COVID -19 in Uganda are returnees from the UAE including the index case of a businessman. Because of this, there has been anxiety in the community regarding returnees with some people handing over those that had traveled from Dubai months before March when the initial case was confirmed.

Ndugwa worries that the on-going fear of the rumor that Ugandans are being mistreated in the UAE might affect future employment of Ugandans. He says currently there is no Ugandan who is being treated or suspected to be having COVID -19 in Dubai.

For now, he says they have resorted to giving stranded Ugandans cooked food rations.

Currently, the UAE has 2,659 positive cases and 12 deaths registered.

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URN