Kampala: The Speaker, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has called for the deployment of labour attachés in countries partnering with Uganda on labour externalisation. The Speaker made this call after the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Gen. Henry Tumukunde, presented a statement on the alleged trafficking and detention of three Ugandans in Thailand. This was at the House sitting on Wednesday, 26 August 2026. According to African Press Organization, the statement was prompted by a concern raised by Soroti City Woman Representative, Hon. Joan Alobo, on Wednesday, 08 July 2026. She stated that Amon Kisaakye, David Musajja, and Samuel Kusiima traveled to Thailand through a labour recruitment agency but later lost contact with their family members. The Speaker urged the House to enhance the budget of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to enable it to assign labour attachés abroad. He emphasized the necessity for government representatives from the Ministry of Gender to handle labour iss ues abroad, similar to the roles of commercial and defense attachés. Gen. Henry Tumukunde highlighted that the case of the three Ugandans was a result of trafficking in persons. He noted that the involved labour agency, Result Recruitment Company, is not licensed and does not appear in the database of the External Employment Management System run by the ministry. The ministry has received reports of Ugandans being trafficked to Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. No licensed company has been found to be externalizing Ugandans to these countries. Tumukunde stressed that this matter should be investigated by Police and the Anti-Trafficking Unit under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Ministry of Gender is collaborating with the Uganda Police Force to clamp down on non-licensed labour recruitment companies. Media awareness campaigns are also being undertaken to encourage Ugandans to travel abroad for work through safe labour migration. Jonam County MP, Hon. Alenyo Marshall, reiterated the Speaker's proposal, citing the effective deployment of immigration officers abroad by the Ministry of Internal Affairs which facilitated easier access to immigration services. Workers Representative, Hon. Rwakajara Arinaitwe, expressed that labour attachés would significantly monitor the legitimacy of jobs offered by labour externalisation companies. He pointed out that many Ugandans promised professional jobs end up doing informal jobs. Rwakajara urged the Ministry of Gender to work with all stakeholders to ensure the proper monitoring of the labour externalisation process. The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, urged the government to enhance job creation avenues to reduce the number of youths leaving the country in search of work opportunities. He emphasized the need for the government to intensify efforts in creating employment opportunities locally. Legislators also called on the government to support the repatriation of other Ugandans stranded under challenging working condi tions in different countries abroad.