President Museveni has assented to the Employment (Amendment) Act, 2025, introducing sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening worker protections--but leaving the contentious issue of a national minimum wage unaddressed.
The new law comes at a time when Uganda continues to operate without an enforceable minimum wage, despite years of debate and repeated calls from labour unions and civil society, particularly as the country approaches International Labour Day.
The amended legislation updates the Employment Act, 2006, with a focus on protecting vulnerable workers, including domestic workers, casual labourers, and migrant employees.
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Among the key reforms is the formal recognition of domestic workers under the law, alongside stricter safeguards against exploitation such as excessive working hours, forced labour, and abuse within private households.
The Act also strengthens regulation of recruitment agencies, especially those facilitating foreign employment, requiring licensing, proper documentation, and enforceable contracts for migrant workers.
However, analysts note that while the law addresses structural and rights-based gaps, it stops short of tackling wage regulation--one of the most pressing concerns for Ugandan workers.
Uganda has not operationalised a national minimum wage despite the existence of the Minimum Wages Advisory Board framework, leaving wages largely determined by market forces.
Labour activists...
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