At least 19 Ugandans are reportedly trapped in Thailand after allegedly being lured abroad with false promises of employment and education, with one victim said to be chained to a sickbed, prompting calls in Parliament for human trafficking to be declared a national disaster.
Aruu County MP Christopher Komakech told Parliament that a graduate from Pader District was lured to Thailand with the promise of an opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree but has since found himself in life-threatening circumstances.
“As we speak right now, his life is on the line. He is on a sickbed chained with dog chains and a padlock,” Komakech told Parliament.
He said 18 other Ugandans who travelled alongside the graduate were also unaccounted for, raising concerns about their safety and whereabouts.
The MP appealed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to urgently intervene and facilitate the graduate’s return to Uganda before his condition deteriorates further.
Komakech also urged the government to declare human trafficking a national disaster, citing growing concerns over Ugandans being lured abroad with false promises of education and employment, only to end up in dangerous and exploitative circumstances.
The concerns come amid growing numbers of identified human trafficking victims in Uganda.
According to the National Counter-Trafficking in Persons Report released on July 30, 2026, Uganda identified 1,272 trafficking victims in 2025, including 479 girls.
Responding to the matter, Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi undertook to report back to Parliament on Thursday, November 5, 2026, on the concerns raised.
Parliament is expected to receive an update from the government as pressure mounts for urgent intervention to establish the whereabouts of the 19 Ugandans and secure assistance for those reportedly stranded in Thailand.
