Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere of Kampala Archdiocese has called on the Ugandan government to introduce tougher legislation to tackle human trafficking.
Speaking at the National Day of Prayer and Awareness on Trafficking in Persons on 12 September 2025, at Sharing Youth Centre Nsambya, under the theme: “Human Trafficking is Organised Crime-End the Exploitation,” he stressed the need to investigate fraudulent companies trafficking young people, particularly to Arab countries where they are sold into slavery.
He also urged parents not to send their children to Kampala for non-existent jobs, which often leads them into the hands of traffickers promising lucrative opportunities.
Joanita Ndagire, a trafficking survivor, shared her ordeal of being sold like a commodity in Oman and returning unwell. She has since established the Mwagale Foundation, an NGO dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking and supporting the rehabilitation of victims.
Under Section 3 of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act (2009) anybody who trafficks persons who are 18 years and older faces imprisonment for up to 15 years. Those who traffick children can be imprisoned for life under the same law.
