Uganda warns S. Sudan against expelling foreign workers

September 17, 2014 (KAMPALA) – Uganda’s prime minister Amama Mbabazi says many Ugandan nationals would be affected if the South Sudanese government goes ahead with plans to expel foreign workers.

Mbabazi said Ugandan workers had played a vital role in the reconstruction process after South Sudan seceded from neighbouring Sudan in 2011.

In a statement broadcast on 97.3 Simba FM on Wednesday, Mbabazi called on Juba to retract it plans to dismiss Ugandan workers in South Sudan, warning it could jeopardise existing bilateral agreements between the two countries, saying these were signed on the understanding of mutual benefits to citizens of both countries in term of securing jobs and security measures.

“Ugandan citizens has right to move to South Sudan and South Sudanese had the same right to be in Uganda. I could not see the reason why our people should be subjected to leave from there,” Mbabazi told Simba FM.

South Sudan has since backtracked on moves to expel foreign nationals working in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private companies by mid-October reportedly after facing fierce criticism from its neighbours.

On Monday, the labour ministry released a directive, ordering NGOs and privately held businesses to dismiss foreign workers in specific jobs for “the interest of unemployed South Sudanese”.

The directive included both top management and non-management positions.

Uganda responded angrily to the move, with Mbabazi threatening to expel South Sudanese from Uganda and withdraw military support to the country.

The Ugandan People’s Defence Force was deployed to South Sudan at the request of president Salva Kiir to fight alongside the South Sudanese army (SPLA), which has been battling to contain a rebellion led by former vice-president Riek Machar since mid-December last year.

“If Juba continue threaten our citizens in South Sudan, we will ask our forces or UPDF to come back home,” said the Ugandan prime minister.

However, South Sudan’s labour minister, Ngor Kolong Ngor, now claims the decision to exclude foreigners from certain positions was “misunderstood”.

Kampala resident Mungu Stephen told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that he supported the prime minister’s stance, adding that many Ugandans had suffered heavy losses and mistreatment at the hands of the SPLA and the police service in Juba.

He said it was unfair that Ugandans in South Sudan should be subject to arbitrary detention and arrest without proper reason.

Uganda has been the main importer for South Sudan before and after it gained independence from Sudan.

Many unskilled labour positions that could be filled by South Sudanese are currently occupied by Ugandan nationals.

However, observers warn that any moves to expel Ugandan workers would likely result in a bitter split between Kampala and Juba.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, foreign affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said that while under South Sudan’s labour regulations certain jobs were reserved for nationals, there was no immediate plans to expel foreign workers.

“There are no foreign workers being expelled even from our region whether they are Ugandans, Kenyans or Ethiopians, Eritreans or Egyptians,” said Benjamin.

“We would like this statement to be very clear,” he added.

(ST)