The Federation of All Uganda Migrant Workers’ Associations (FAUMA) has lashed out at the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, saying the law could label thousands of Ugandan citizens living abroad as “foreign agents” and choke off billions in diaspora remittances.
The Association argues that the Bill’s sweeping provisions could define Ugandans in the diaspora as “foreign agents,” threatening key economic lifelines, including remittances and labour migration channels.
The Bill, tabled on April 15 by David Muhoozi, State Minister for Internal Affairs, seeks to regulate foreign influence by requiring individuals and organizations receiving foreign funding to register and operate under state oversight. It also extends to digital platforms, capturing online advocacy and cross-border engagements.
However, FAUMA contends that its wording goes further than intended, effectively classifying Ugandans living and working abroad as “foreigners.” This interpretation, the Association argues, contradicts Uganda’s constitutional definition of citizenship and risks reclassifying legitimate remittance flows as foreign-controlled transactions.
“A Ugandan does not cease to be Ugandan by virtue of working abroad,” FAUMA’s Secretary General Aisha Nakitende told URN, noting that migrant workers retain national identity documents, familial ties, and legal status as citizens.
The concerns come against the backdrop of Uganda’s growing dependence on diaspora remittances. FAUMA’s submission also raises concerns about duplication of existing legal frameworks.
Uganda already operates under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2013, enforced by the Financial Intelligence Authority, which monitors suspicious financial transactions.In addition, the Non-Governmental Organisations Act, 2016 provides a regulatory framework for NGOs, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and compliance.
According to the World Bank, Uganda received over $1.4 billion, about 5.2 trillion shillings in remittances in 2024, making it one of the country’s largest sources of foreign exchange, rivaling coffee exports and foreign direct investment.
Economist Dr. Fred Muhumuza, a development policy analyst, warns that overregulation could undermine transparency and weaken the financial system that the bill seeks to protect.
“If remittances are subjected to additional scrutiny under the guise of foreign influence, you risk pushing these flows into informal channels.”Timothy Msobor Chemonges, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), a non-partisan think-tank, notes that diaspora engagement is globally recognized as a development asset.
“There is a risk that the framework extends beyond high-risk activities and begins to affect ordinary and lawful engagement.”
Chemonges argued: “The risk is not just duplication, it’s contradiction. When multiple laws govern the same space with different thresholds and authorities, enforcement becomes arbitrary and prone to abuse.”
The Committees on Defence and Internal Affairs, alongside Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, are expected to interrogate the Bill, particularly its implications for citizenship rights under the Constitution, freedom of association and expression, economic policy coherence, and international cooperation frameworks in migration governance, among others.
Uganda’s labour migration sector has expanded significantly over the past decade, driven by high youth unemployment and bilateral labour agreements with Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
The government has also partnered with global agencies such as the International Organization for Migration and the International Labour Organization to combat human trafficking, support repatriation, and promote safe migration.“These are development partners supporting anti-trafficking, rescue missions, and reintegration.
Treating them as foreign agents risks collapsing critical support systems,” FAUMA warns.Data from Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development indicates that over 200,000 Ugandans are formally employed abroad, with many more in informal arrangements, making migration policy a high-stakes governance issue.
Uganda is not alone in grappling with foreign influence legislation. Similar laws in countries such as Russia, Hungary, and India have drawn international scrutiny for shrinking civic space and affecting NGO operations. URN