Ugandan Migrant Worker Dies in Kuwait

KAMPALA — Grief and anger gripped Entebbe International Airport on Thursday as the body of Namiiro Catherine, a Ugandan migrant worker who died under unclear circumstances in Kuwait last month, was received by her family and civil society advocates.

Namiiro’s remains were returned amid growing calls for stronger protections for Ugandans working abroad, particularly in the Middle East, where concerns over abuse, exploitation and unexplained deaths continue to rise.

According to sources close to the family, Namiiro is believed to have died two days before her death was officially communicated.

While details surrounding her passing remain scant, both Ugandan and Kuwaiti authorities are said to have launched investigations into the incident.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our sister,” said a representative from Kyeyo Initiative Uganda, a civil society organisation supporting migrant workers.

“Her death raises serious questions about the conditions under which our people are living and working abroad.”

Namiiro’s body was transported to her family home for burial following the airport reception. Mourners, many of them visibly shaken, carried placards and chanted calls for justice.

“Rest in peace, Hustler,” one placard read. “Uganda has lost another daughter chasing a better life.”

This incident adds to a growing list of Ugandans—most of them young women—who have died in Gulf countries in recent years.

Civil society groups estimate that over 120 Ugandan migrant workers have died under mysterious circumstances since 2018.

Many of them travel under the controversial Kafala system, a visa sponsorship framework that critics say leaves workers vulnerable to abuse and limits their ability to leave exploitative jobs.

Namiiro’s death has reignited pressure on the Ugandan government to tighten regulation of labor export agencies and improve the monitoring and welfare of citizens working overseas.

Kyeyo Initiative Uganda has pledged to support Namiiro’s family and continue pushing for answers.

The group urged the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to review labor export frameworks, enforce existing laws, and negotiate stronger protections in bilateral labor agreements.

“This is not just about Namiiro,” the group’s representative added. “It’s about the countless Ugandans enduring hardship abroad, whose only mistake was trying to build a better future.”

As investigations into the death continue, Namiiro’s story has become yet another painful reminder of the risks faced by Uganda’s growing migrant workforce—and the urgent need for systemic reform.