By Robert Segawa
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued a warning to young Ugandan women, urging them to avoid engaging in relationships with foreign road construction workers, many of whom reportedly abandon their partners and children once their contracts end.
According to the Ministry, a growing number of Ugandan girls—especially in areas undergoing infrastructure development—are entering into relationships with foreign contractors without knowing their identities or backgrounds. The issue has come to light after more than 15 young women recently sought help from the Ministry after being left stranded with children when the contractors abruptly left the country.
Speaking to the press, Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Simon Peter Mundeyi expressed concern over the trend. “Once these foreign workers complete their assignments, they return to their home countries, leaving young mothers behind, often without any means of support. It is a dangerous and heartbreaking pattern,” he said.
Mundeyi added that many of these girls are drawn in by small amounts of money and gifts, but rarely take the time to learn about the men’s identities or intentions. “When the girls see foreign workers in their areas, they get excited and fall in love without considering the consequences or even asking for their names or nationality,” he noted.
He specifically pointed to ongoing roadworks on Old Port Bell Road, where the Ministry has observed an increasing number of young women interacting with foreign laborers daily.
“Unfortunately, we cannot track or verify where most of these contractors come from. We’ve even received reports that some of them may be convicts serving sentences under foreign agreements before returning home,” Mundeyi revealed.
Currently, there is limited government recourse for the affected women, aside from assistance in processing travel documents for their children—if the mothers are Ugandan citizens.
The Ministry continues to urge young women to be cautious and prioritize their safety and future before getting involved with foreign nationals whose stay in the country is often brief and undocumented.
