Boy, wouldn’t this be something if the Ugandans had to go home because of this deal? If that did happen, there would be a mad scramble to fill those jobs–a lot of jobs. The other thing about this is Dreshak. I have heard nothing but bad things about those guys, and how they have treated their recruits. –Head Jundi
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Ugandans could lose Iraq jobs
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
Saturday, 15th November, 2008
OVER 5,000 Ugandans working as security guards in Iraq risk losing their
jobs following a business rivalry among recruiting agencies.
A Kampala businessman, Stanley Mutebi, has already secured a High Court
injunction against Dreshak International, one of the recruiting firms.
The injunction blocks Dreshak from carrying out any further recruitment and
also seeks to stop the firm from administering the Ugandans working in Iraq.
This would mean that the Ugandans would have to be returned home, according
to reliable source.
The country director of Dreshak, Alok Dheer confirmed the development
although he said their lawyers would seek to reverse the Court order.
“We don’t know the motive of the person who got this court order. We don’t
know the implications of the order, but our lawyers will give us a legal
opinion on Monday,” he stated.
The interim court order, which was secured through Ngobi Ndika Advocates,
also seeks that SOC-SMG should terminate its business relationship with
Dreshak International. Dreshak is owned by Pakistan businessmen, but city
tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia has been linked to the recruiting firm.
A reliable source said SOC-SMG had cancelled Dreshak international’s
contract in connection with the administration of the workers’ funds by a
local bank as well as poor training.
The contract has been awarded to another recruiting company. Alok, however,
said their contract has not been terminated.
Recent investment reports indicated that Ugandan guards in Iraq bring home
$60m (about sh110b) per year, according to labour state minister Mwesigwa
Rukutana. Rukutana recently tried to reconcile the recruiting agencies.
The Commissioner for External Employment Unit, Milton, said the performance
of the recruiting agencies is evaluated annually and a report sent to the
main contractor in the US.
“If a company fails to meet the standards of the main contractor, the
contract can be cancelled,” he said.
He, however, noted that he was not yet informed about the cancellation,
although he said there has been business rivalry. Combined, the four active
companies have taken over 12,000 Ugandans to Iraq since 2005.
Askar, the company that pioneered exportation of labour to Iraq in 2005 has
so far taken over 5,000 people. Watertight has taken over 1,200, Dreshak
over 4,000 and Gideon’s Men/Connect Finance about 800.
A source said some recruiting agencies had resorted to seeking cheaper
labour in other countries such as Kenya, Namibia and Nepal. An American
contractor, SOC-SMG is one of the international private security firms that
has been contracted by the US government to provide security services in
Iraq.
Intelligence agencies have raised concern that it would be insecure for the
country to have such a big number of trained personnel returning to the
country without proper retirement plans for them.
“They can be a security threat if they return without a plan on how they
will conduct their business when they come back,” an intelligence official
said.
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