Labour Market Profile - Ulandssekretariatet · Labour Market Profile 2016 Uganda 2016 Page iii Uganda Labour Market Profile EXECUTIVE SUMMARY T he Republic of Uganda has demonstrated

LABOUR MARKET PROFILE

2016 Uganda

LO/FTF Council, Analytical Unit

Copenhagen, Denmark

Danish Trade Council for International Development and Cooperation Labour Market Profile 2016

Uganda 2016 Page ii

PREFACE

The LO/FTF Council presents this Labour Market Profile

as a yearly updated report that provides an overview

of the labour market's situation.

This country profile presents the recent main

developments and is not an in-depth analysis.

Nevertheless, it shows a wide range of data in a

reader-friendly style. Certain key findings of this report

can be found on the Executive Summary.

The report is divided in 11 thematic sections, which

includes trade unions, employers’ organizations,

tripartite structures, national labour legislation,

violations of trade union rights, working conditions,

situation of the workforce (with subsections such as

unemployment, sectoral employment, migration,

informal economy, child labour, gender, and youth),

education (with subsection vocational training), social

protection, general economic performance, and trade.

Additionally, the reader finds an Appendix with a list

of labour market related legislation during 201-2016,

the ratified ILO Conventions and status of trade unions

in Uganda.

As indicated, the report is driven by statistical data

selection from international databanks, surveys and

reports (e.g. the International Labour Organization

(ILO), the International Trade Union Confederation

(ITUC), the World Bank, U.S. Department of State’s

Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,

WageIndicator Foundation, the Africa Labour Research

& Educational Institute (ALREI), etc.) as well as national

statistical institutions and ministries, and others.

Moreover, narrative inputs are collected from

international news sources (e.g. The Economist, the British

Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), LabourStart, The

Guardian, etc.) together with local sources such as trade

unions centers, NGOs, local news, the LO/FTF Council’s

Sub-Regional Office, among others.

This report also collects references from several

indexes, e.g. Global Rights Index, Doing Business Index,

the Governance Indicators, and the Human

Development Index. The indexes’ methodologies and

the data quality can be followed by the sources

websites.

All indicators and/or narrative inputs that are used are

available by links through footnotes and sources.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT This Labour Market Profile is prepared by the LO/FTF

Council’s Analytical Unit in Copenhagen with support

from our Sub-Region Office in Tanzania as well as

NOTU in terms of data collection of trade union

membership.

All other labour market profiles of the countries where

LO/FTF Council operates are available at our website:

http://www.ulandssekretariatet.dk/content/landeanaly

ser

Should you have questions about the profiles you can

contact Kasper Andersen ([email protected]), Manager of

the Analytical Unit.

Cover Photo: Carsten Snejbjerg

Editing, design and layout: Adriana Romero

http://www.ulandssekretariatet.dk/content/landeanalyser

http://www.ulandssekretariatet.dk/content/landeanalyser

mailto:[email protected]


Uganda 2016 Page iii

Uganda Labour Market Profile

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

he Republic of Uganda has demonstrated a fast

economic growth during the last three decades. The

inequality in the distribution of family income has

declining slightly along with the number of the working

poor. A middle-class is on a rise. The country remains as

a poor country standing by a ranking of 202 out of

229 countries (229 is bottom).

Uganda’s labour market passed through some legal

reforms during the last three years. Among others, since

2016 all employers will be required to issue itemized

pay slips and Key Employment Terms (KETs) to

employees covered under the Employment Act. Still the

overall legislations coverage has a poor compliance,

according to the International Trade Union

Confederation (ITUC). It is not only due to flaws in the

legislations, but also a large majority of the labour

force is not covered by the regulations in practice but

operating in the informal economy. By the same token,

it is not easy doing business in Uganda, which includes a

cumbersome registering of starting a business. Not to

mention, regular violations of trade union rights are

registered.

The average earnings in Uganda have been on a

steady increase. It has been negatively affected by the

volatile inflation in consumer prices, though. The

standing minimum wage is outdated from 1984. A new

draft Minimum Wage Bill is still waiting to be

approved. On the positive side, the government has

taken steps in 2016 to prosecute registered institutions

and workplaces that do not comply with the

Occupational Safety and Health standards.

The population and the labour force are on a fast rise

which is creating a high pressure of job creation. The

participation rate is high. Unemployment, on a

international standard interpretation of the term, is not

a rampant problem. The challenge is much more related

to the skills mismatch between job requirements and

qualifications. As an example, the incidence of under-

education in skills mismatch is very high at 73%.

As just indicated, the labour market is fragmented by a

narrow formal sector and an absorbing informal

economy. Estimations suggest that at least nine out of

ten workers are in informal employment. Especially this

latter segment of workers is confronting vulnerable

working conditions and not receiving the wage

standards. The total number of wage and salaried

workers is only slowly growing in Uganda; and

especially the employment in the industry sector has not

increased. The agricultural sector employs three out of

four of the total employment while this sector

contributes with 27% of the GDP. This explains, to some

extent, why the labour productivity has been relatively

low and the growth has been flat during the last five

years. It is worth to mention that ownership of businesses

in Uganda is dominated by very small enterprises,

which is a challenge of the taxation.

Access to economic opportunities has gender disparities

in Uganda. This has been related to cultural customs,

e.g. women getting married on a young age. The

country has also experienced some changes. This has

been noted by the rising school enrolment and

attainment for both males and females.

The social protection in Uganda is very

underdeveloped. Only 2% of the population is covered

by health social protection and with relatively high

health-care expenditure financed by private

household’s out-of-pocket payments. The social

protection system is currently under controversial

reforms.

The trade union movement has experienced an

impressive influx of members. This has been related to

affiliation of organized workers from the informal

economy as well as a positive impact of strikes on

salary increments. The trade union density is estimated

at 3.2% of the total labour force and 20% of the wage

and salaried workers. Previously the trade union centres

were confronting rivalry, but the social dialogue has

improved significantly. Results of lengthy negotiations

and undersigning a Memorandum of Understanding in

October 2016, a unification of the two trade union

centers, NOTU and COFTU, along with three non-

affiliated trade unions, was launched.

T


Uganda 2016 Page iv

COUNTRY MAP

Source: The CIA World Factbook


Uganda 2016 Page v

TABLE OF CONTENT

Preface........................................................................................................................................................................ ii

Acknowledgment ....................................................................................................................................................... ii

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................... iii

Country Map .............................................................................................................................................................. iv

Trade Union ................................................................................................................................................................ 1

Employers’ Organisations .......................................................................................................................................... 2

Central BI/Tripartite Structures .................................................................................................................................... 2

National Labour Legislation ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Employment (Employment of Children) Regulations .................................................................................................. 5

Observations on the labour legislation .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Ratified ILO Conventions .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Trade Union Rights Violations .................................................................................................................................... 6

Working Conditions .................................................................................................................................................... 6

Workforce ................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Unemployment ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Sectoral Employment ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Informal Economy ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Migration ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

Child Labour........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14

Gender ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Youth ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

Education .................................................................................................................................................................. 16

Vocational training ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17

Social Protection ....................................................................................................................................................... 18

General Economic Performance ................................................................................................................................ 19

Trade ........................................................................................................................................................................ 22

Trade Agreements ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23

Special Economic Zones (SEZ) ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Appendix: Additional Data ....................................................................................................................................... 25

List approved labour related legislations in Uganda, 2014-2016 ...................................................................................................................... 25

Ratified ILO Conventions .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25

Trade Unions in Uganda .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26

References ................................................................................................................................................................ 28


Uganda 2016 Page vi

Tables Table 1: Facts of trade unions in Uganda, 2016 ................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Table 2: Status of Trade Union Centers and independent unions in Uganda, 2016 ........................................................................................................ 1

Table 3: Status of CBAs in Uganda, 2013-2015 ................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Table 4: Status of the national labour, social security and human rights related legislations in Uganda ..................................................................... 5

Table 5: Global Rights Index, Uganda ranking, 2014-2016 .............................................................................................................................................. 6

Table 6: Freedom of Association cases in Uganda, 2016 .................................................................................................................................................... 6

Table 7: Wages and earnings, Monthly average and legal minimum wages................................................................................................................... 7

Table 8: Working Conditions in Uganda ................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Table 9: Employment-to-population ratio in Rwanda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) ............................................................................................... 8

Table 10: Inactivity Rate in Uganda, 2016 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Table 11: Skills mismatches between job requirements and qualifications in Uganda .................................................................................................... 9

Table 12: Unemployment, youth unemployment and underemployment in Uganda ........................................................................................................ 9

Table 13: Total sector employment, sector employment share and ratio of men in sector employment in Uganda, 2009 ..................................... 10

Table 14: GDP share by sector, 2014, % and per worker ................................................................................................................................................ 10

Table 15: Employment in the informal economy in Uganda, 2013, % ............................................................................................................................. 12

Table 16: Migration Facts ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13

Table 17: Working children Proportion of all children in age group ............................................................................................................................... 14

Table 18: Highest level attained and years of schooling in the population .................................................................................................................... 16

Table 19: Status of vocational training ................................................................................................................................................................................. 17

Table 20: Public spending on social protection schemes, 2011 ......................................................................................................................................... 18

Table 21: Pension Benefits, Coverage and Contributions in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), % ............................................................. 19

Table 22: Key Facts on General Economic Performance in Uganda, 2015..................................................................................................................... 19

Table 23: Uganda’s Ease of Doing Business ......................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Table 24: Uganda's Governance Indicators, 2010-2015 .................................................................................................................................................. 22

Table 25: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), 2015 .............................................................................................................................................. 22

Table 26: List approved labour related legislations in Uganda, 2014-2016 ................................................................................................................ 25

Table 27: Ratified ILO Conventions........................................................................................................................................................................................ 25

Table 28: Trade Unions in Uganda, 2016 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 26

Figures Figure 1: NOTU membership growth, 2007-2015 ................................................................................................................................................................ 2

Figure 2: Average earnings in Uganda, Shillings and US$, 2004-2012 ........................................................................................................................... 7

Figure 3: Labour force participation rate in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 1995-2016, % .................................................................. 8

Figure 4: Unemployment trends in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 2007-2016, % ................................................................................... 9

Figure 5: Employment by aggregate sector, 2002-2013, % ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Figure 6: Status in employment in Uganda, 2002-2013, % .............................................................................................................................................. 11

Figure 7: Uganda’s sector share trend, % of GDP .............................................................................................................................................................. 11

Figure 8: Labour productivity trend, 2007-2016 ................................................................................................................................................................ 11

Figure 9: Employment by Activity Status in Uganda 2002/03 - 2009/10, % .............................................................................................................. 12

Figure 10: Distribution of employees engaged in the informal economy in Uganda ..................................................................................................... 12

Figure 11: Distribution of Informal Businesses by Industry .................................................................................................................................................. 12

Figure 12: Net migration ratio to population in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa, 2000-2010 .......................................................................... 13

Figure 13: Women in firms’ top management and ownership, 2013 ............................................................................................................................... 15

Figure 14: Status in employment in Uganda, 2002-2013, by sex, % .............................................................................................................................. 15

Figure 15: Youth labour force participation rate in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 1995-2016, by sex, % ..................................... 15

Figure 16: School levels and Enrolment ................................................................................................................................................................................. 16

Figure 17: Vocational training trends .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Figure 18: Health-care expenditure not financed by private household's out-of-pocket payments, 1995-2011, % ............................................... 18

Figure 19: GDP per capita real growth ................................................................................................................................................................................ 19

Figure 20: GDP per capita (PPP) growth in US$ and Gini Index (%) .............................................................................................................................. 20

Figure 21: Working poor trends, 1992-2012, % ................................................................................................................................................................ 20

Figure 22: Middle-class trends, 1992-2012, % ................................................................................................................................................................... 20

Figure 23: Inflation in consumer prices, 2006-2015, % ...................................................................................................................................................... 21

Figure 24: Gross Fixed Capital Formation, 2006-2015, % of GDP ................................................................................................................................ 21

Figure 25: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment trends ...................................................................................................................................................... 22

Figure 26: Uganda's main products share of exports, 2014 ............................................................................................................................................. 23

Figure 27: Uganda's main export markets, 2015 ................................................................................................................................................................ 23


Uganda 2016 Page 1

TRADE UNION

The development of trade unions in Uganda can be

traced as early as the 1930’s when the first trade union

was formed.1 Unions have shifted from the old style of

unionism of 'craft unions' to more industrial and general

workers unions.

By law workers are allowed to form and join

independent unions, except for the so-called “essential”

government employees, including police, army, and

management-level officials. According to sources, trade

unions are legally independent of the government and

political parties. Workers representatives are part of

five special groups in the Parliament. Some cases

suggest that government union interference is present

and the five seats members do not always represent the

interests of workers.2 On the same token, the

Constitutional Court nullified the special interest

Member of Parliament slots for organized labour in

September 2015. During 2016 the trade union

movement raised their concerns that the Electoral

Commission has not come up with a clear road map for

the elections of workers' representatives in the

Parliament.3

All unions must be registered under the National

Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU) or the Central

Organization of Free Trade Unions (COFTU). Only

NOTU is affiliated to the International Trade Union

Confederation (ITUC).

Despite previous rivalry between the NOTU and the

COFTU, they have been strengthening ties, particularly

in cases of joint actions and positions. In October 2016

the two organizations signed a Memorandum of

Understanding which was crafting one unification center

that will lead to coordinated activities. In practice it

brings together the unions in one center. The unification

process is currently driven by the following activities: i)

writing a new constitution; ii) adopting the new

constitution under the new organ established by the

undersigned MoU unions, and iii) unifying the unions.

A total 52 labour unions are registered; of these 42

are affiliated to NOTU COFTU, and 10 are

independent. Around 547,000 workers are registered

as members of trade unions, which illustrates a trade

union density at 3.2% of the labour force or 20% of

wage and salaried workers (Table 1 & Appendix Table

28).

Table 1: Facts of trade unions in Uganda, 2016

Number of trade unions 53

Due 2-3 %

Members of trade unions 547,243

Trade union members share of workers 3.2 %

Trade union members share to waged workers *)

20 %

Women member share of trade unions N/A

Members of affiliated trade unions from the informal economy

71,000

*) The share was estimated by the total number of members divided by

the wage and salaried workers. This overestimate slightly the real share

since affiliated members from the informal economy is included in the

estimation.

Source: LO/FTF Council and NOTU

NOTU is the largest organization which affiliated close

to 446,000 workers in 2016 and more than 10 times

larger than COFTU. As mentioned, NOTU has merged

many members from COFTU and three independent

unions, so far. Workers from the informal economy are

also entering the trade unions systems on new levels.

NOTO’s membership grew by 121% in the period from

2012 to 2016. In contrast, COFTU lost approximate

two out the three (-63%) members even before the

merge of the centres (Table 2).

Table 2: Status of Trade Union Centers and independent unions in Uganda, 2016

Trade Union Centre Total

Members

Membership growth,

2012-2016

NOTU 445,849 121%

COFTU 30,733 -63%

Independent unions 70,662 N/a

Total 547,242 N/a

Note: The number of member from independent unions excludes data from four trade unions due to lack of data (Table 28). Source: NOTU and LO/FTF Council

The changes in the trade union movement have been

related to several issues. First of all, negotiation

structures were set up in the public sector. Among

others, the government has signed a recognition

agreement with the public service unions, although the

Uganda Public Employees was inadvertent not included,

according to union officials. It has also been noted that

public service unions are able to negotiate salaries and

employment terms for members. Not to mention, NOTU

campaigned in 2015 against a 40% increment to

members of parliament as a reaction to governments’

refusal to increase teachers’ salaries.


Uganda 2016 Page 2

Secondly, NOTU has open up access to workers from

the informal economy through affiliated unions in 2012.

It was registered that over 71,000 workers were

affiliated from the informal economy in NOTU in 2015.

This has been an impact of the organization’s improved

use of regional trainer networks to provide training in

trade unionism and organizing. In addition, data

collection on informal economy and trade union

materials has been part of NOTU strategy to service to

workers from the informal economy.4 A reflection of

these two mentioned changes is presented on Figure 1.

Figure 1: NOTU membership growth, 2007-2016

Source: NOTU

According to sources, some employers ignore the legal

requirement to enter into collective bargaining

agreements with registered unions.5 However the social

dialogue in the labour market is improving with more

constructive and consensus-seeking social dialogue

between NOTU and the employers’ organization,

Federation of Ugandan Employers (FUE). NOTU is

together with FUE pushing government to set up a

separate Ministry of Labour, which is currently known as

the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development

(MGLSD), and strengthen the industrial court.

NOTU’s constitution from 2012 has turned into

improvements such as the direct check-off system for

union fees. It has improved NOTU financial situation and

sustainability considerable. Next step is to increase the

efficiency in fee collection from private employers. This

constitution has equally made way for proportional

representation and for direct affiliation of informal

economy associations. NOTU developed an Informal

Sector Collaboration Strategy 2014-2015.

It has been noted that some employers used a

“recognition agreement” to allow union operations at

the workplace.

EMPLOYERS’ ORGANISATIONS

Federation of Ugandan Employers (FUE)6

Founded in 1958, FUE is the main employers’

organization in Uganda, and therefore has

representatives in most important bi/tripartite organs,

such as the Minimum Wage Advisory Boards, Industrial

Court, National Social Security Board, Labour Advisory

Board, etc. FUE’s mission is to enhance member’s

competitiveness through policy advocacy, promotion of

best human resource practices and provision of business

development services. The organization aims to be a

leading organization that serving employers interests

and needs by 2018. It has 354 enterprise members

and 18 sectorial employers’ organisation members. FUE

handles industrial relations and also provides (mainly

legal) services to its members.

In tripartite settings, FUE mainly works with NOTU as the

equal social partner. FUE is governed by an annual

general meeting. FUE are actively involved in providing

useful institutional services to informal economy

businesses. The Chairperson of FUE, Ms. Rosemary N.

Ssenbulya at the same time is Chairperson of the East

African Employers Organization (EAEO).

FUE launched of a simplified guide of labour laws in

April 2016 that was directed towards all Chinese

companies operating in Uganda to help them

understand the regulations in Uganda.

CENTRAL BI/TRIPARTITE STRUCTURES

Collective Bargaining

Generally, the rights to bargain collectively are

generally not respected, and the government does not

always protect these rights, according to sources.7

Among others, the labour legislation does not provide

the right to collective bargaining in the public service

sector. The law also does not explicitly provide trade

union federations and confederations the right to

engage in collective bargaining. A document of

recognition must be obtained before unions could

engage in collective bargaining.

Fifteen Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) were

signed in 2015 with an annual increased of wages per

CBAs between 0-15% (Table 3). Unions affiliated to

NOTU are reported to have concluded 60 CBAs

(Appendix Table 28).

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

450000

500000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016


Uganda 2016 Page 3

Table 3: Status of CBAs in Uganda, 2013-2015 2013 2014 2015

Number of CBAs 16 16 15

Annual increase of

wages per CBA 0-15% 13.5%-15% 1%-15%

Source: WageIndicator Foundation, Uganda Country Profile, May

2016

It is worth mentioning that the WageIndicator

Foundation launched a sample of a CBA model in

Uganda in October 2016, which can be useful as a

standard template for crafting CBAs in practice.8

Industrial Relations Charter

In May 23, 2013, a National Tripartite Charter on

Labour Relations was signed between the Government,

FUE and trade union representatives from NOTU and

COFTU, spelling out the working relations between the

involved parties.9 The charter holds clauses on “one

workplace, one union”, addressing demarcation lines

between trade unions thereby in effect regulating

relations between NOTU and COFTU. The two latter

organizations have also prepared for signing a bi-

partite charter on industrial relations with FUE

addressing the private sector. The rivalry between

NOTU and COFTU has so far put the process on hold,

though. According to the government, the charter is

operational. In addition, its existence has improved the

industrial environment.

Labour Advisory Board (LAB)

LAB was appointed in 2011 after almost a decade of

no such tripartite advisory body and with no budgetary

allocations committed to operate effectively and

efficiently. Today, LAB consists of 13 members, of whom

the employers’ and trade unions organizations have two

representatives each and six ministries are represented.

The board advises the Minister of Labour on labour

legislation and employment matters, oversees the

labour inspectorates, implementation of labour policy,

among others. In the beginning of 2009 a technical

tripartite committee under the auspices of the LAB

started to discuss minimum wages.10

Although tripartite structures for social dialogue such as

the LAB, the Medical Arbitration Board (MAB), the

Occupational Safety and Health Board, the Industrial

Court exist, it is only the LAB and MAB that are fully

functional due to budgetary constraints to

operationalize these boards.

Minimum Wage Advisory Board

The existence of a minimum wage in Uganda dates

back to the 1930s when the first Minimum Wages

Board was established. The minimum wage continued to

be routinely adjusted until 1984 when it reached 6,000

Ugandan shilling per month. No further adjustments

were subsequently made. Both a reform of the Minimum

Wages Advisory Council from 1995 and a new, draft

Minimum Wage Bill from 2012 have not been passed.

The Government formed a body in 2016 which consists

of seven members that will study the economic

relationship between minimum wages, wage

distribution, hours worked and poverty eradication,

education, training as well as analyze the probable

impact, if any, of the minimum wages on investment in

Uganda.11

NOTU and FUE are jointly providing data collection

and provide input to the government on fixing of

minimum wages in the private sector.

National Negotiation and Consultation Council

(NNCC)

The government inaugurated the NNCC in 2012, which

is a key step in the effort to negotiate the salary and

welfare of government workers, i.e. the public sector

negotiation machinery. The negotiation system has been

instrumental in negotiation salary policies and how to

improve salary and working conditions for the different

groups of civil servants.

Industrial Court

The Industrial Court mediation and arbitrates on all

trade disputes are referred from the Ministry of

Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD). The

Industrial Court consists of five members: two judges, an

independent member and a representative of

employers’ organisations and of trade unions.12

After being inactive for several years, the Industrial

Court commenced work in late 2014 following the

resolving of national budget issues and the long last

appointment of six judges to handle labour disputes.

Due to the none-functionality of the court had created a

pile up of up to 2,013 unheard disputes. The court has

disposed of 20 cases since its reactivation (April 2015)

and received 249 cases referred by the Civil Division

of the High Court. The court also received 11 cases and

11 appeals from the Ministry of Gender Labour and

Social Development (MGLSD). The court remained

constrained because it was not fully staffed and had

limited office facilities. On the positive side, during

2016 the government has launched several reforms to

re-constitute and operationalize the Industrial Court,

which has since handled several cases, appointed the


Uganda 2016 Page 4

Minimum Wages Advisory Board and appointed a new

Labour Advisory Board.

Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) PSFU is an apex body for the private sector. The institution was founding in 1995 and has served as a focal point for private sector advocacy as well as capacity building and continues to sustain a positive policy dialogue with Government on behalf of the private sector. PSFU is made up of at least 190 business associations,

corporate bodies and the major public sector agencies

that support private sector growth. The institution has

implemented several projects and programs aimed at

strengthening the private sector as an engine of

economic growth.

PSFU aims to strengthen Private Sector capacity for

effective policy advocacy and market competitiveness

nationally, regionally and internationally. Regionally,

PSFU is the national focal point for the East African

Business Council (EABC) and the COMESA Business

Council (CBC). It aims to advocate for an improved

business environment and work with Government to

reduce the cost of doing business in Uganda.

Other bi/tripartite organs

Vocational Training Board

Immigration Board

Occupational Safety and Health Board

National Social Security Fund

National Curriculum Development Centre

HIV/AIDS Coordination Committee for the Private

Sector

Industrial Training Council

Management Training and Advisory Centre

Business, Technical , Vocational Education and

Training Examinations Board

Nakawa Vocational Training Institute

Skilling Uganda

National Steering Committee on Child Labour

Platform for Labour Action

NATIONAL LABOUR LEGISLATION

Constitution13

The constitution of 1995 establishes the following: i)

freedom of association, ii) right to work under safe and

healthy conditions, iii) form and join unions, collective

bargaining and representation, and iv) equal payment

for equal work. In 2005 and 2013 reforms were

launched but not concluded. In July 2016, the

government launched plans of a complete overhaul of

the Constitution.

Employment Act14

The Employment act of 2006 establishes fundamental

rights at work, the Labour Advisory Board and Labour

Inspectorate. It regulates employment relationship,

wages, leave, working hours and termination of

employment. Labour officials have registered that

domestic and agricultural workers as well as those in

the informal sector are excluded from the protection of

the labor laws.15

Based on a review of the Employment Act obtained

through several platforms during several years,

amendments were approved and in effect in April

2016. Now all employers will be required to issue

itemized pay slips and Key Employment Terms (KETs) to

employees covered under the Employment Act. There

will also be a new framework to treat less severe

breaches of the Employment Act.

The Trade Union Act16

The Trade Union Act was enacted in 2006. The law

allows unions to conduct activities without interference,

prohibits antiunion discrimination by an employer, and

provides for reinstatement of workers dismissed for

union activity. In addition, workers have the right to

strike, freedom of association, and the right to bargain

collectively. The law also empowers the minister of

labour to refer disputes to the Industrial Court when one

or both parties to a dispute refuse to comply with the

recommendations of the report issued by a board of

inquiry. According to sources, compulsory arbitration is

acceptable only for workers in “essential services” and

public employees engaged in the administration of the

state.17

The Labour Disputes Act18

The Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Mediation) Act

was enacted in 2006. It aims to simplify and reduce the

statutory procedures for settling labour disputes,

encourage the use of voluntary conciliation and

arbitration and the observance of collective bargaining

agreements.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act19

This act of 2006 establishes duties, rights and

responsibilities of workers and employers, health and

welfare requirements and establishes the Occupational


Uganda 2016 Page 5

Safety and Health Board. The law covers all workers,

including foreign and migrant workers. It except

workers from the informal economy, though. So far

more than 800 workplaces have been registered on the

Act’s framework (2015 April).20

The Equal Opportunities Commission Act21

This enacted 2007 act makes provision in relation to the

Equal Opportunities Commission and to eliminate

discrimination and inequalities against any individual or

group of persons on all levels.

Workers Regular Compensation Act

This act from 2011 is related to the workplace,

including the rights and responsibilities of employers,

workers, and other workplace parties, are provided

verbatim and shown in normal text. In addition, the act

deal with administrative provisions, such as

administrative practices and regulation-making

authority of the Workers' Compensation

Employment (Employment of Children) Regulations22

With this act from 2012, the Regulations contain

restrictions on the employment of children, penalties for

violations, a list of hazardous activities prohibited to

children under 18, and a list of activities considered

light work. The list of hazardous activities includes

prohibitions by different age groups of tasks in a

variety of areas, e.g. several agricultural sectors,

construction, mining, and urban informal work. The

regulations also prohibit the use, procurement, or

offering of a child for illicit activities, including the

production and trafficking of drugs.

Other legislations

Several other legislations exist that regulate and set

standards and restrictions for the labour market in

Uganda. ILO registered a total 135 national labour,

social security and human rights related legislations.23

The last decade was a hectic period of labour law

reform in Uganda. The purpose of new instruments was

to fill in the gaps in legislation and, in particular, to

improve the existing framework of labour law for

better implementation and compliance. Moreover, to

the enactment of a number of statutes, a set of

regulations in the area of labour and employment were

adopted in 2011. Remarkably, these instruments were

the result of tripartite consultations.

It is worth mentioning that the period from 2014 to

2016 has been less active in terms of approving

new/amended labour markets related laws. In total

seven pieces of legislations were registered in this

period on a range of general provisions; education,

vocational guidance and training; equality of

opportunity and treatment; and employment policy,

promotion of employment and employment services (see

more on Table 4 and Appendix Table 26).

Table 4: Status of the national labour, social security and

human rights related legislations in Uganda

2014 2015 2016

Number of new/amended

legislations 2 4 1

Source: ILO, NATLEX, Uganda

On the other hand, several policies and initiatives were

launched during 2015-2016 which include: rolling out

of the “Green” Jobs & Fair Labour Market Program;

domestication of ILO conventions; registration of work

places under the Occupational Safety and Health Act;

implementation of the National Employment Policy;

development of the National Program of Action on

Employment; the development of the Youth Employment

Plan; and development of the National Social Security

Policy for Uganda.

Observations on the labour legislation

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has

registered several observations of poor compliance with

the labour market legislations, among others:24

Barriers to the establishment of organizations, i.e.

formalities or requirements have excessively delay

or substantially impair the free establishment of

organizations.

Restrictions on the right to elect representatives and

self-administer in full freedom.

Administrative authorities’ power to unilaterally

dissolve, suspend or de-register trade union

organizations.

An foreign shall not be a member of the executive

committee of a trade union.

Compulsory conciliation and/or binding arbitration

procedure in the event of disputes during collective

bargaining, other than in essential services.

Compulsory recourse to arbitration, or to long and

complex conciliation and mediation procedures

prior to strike actions.

Absence of an independent body responsible for

declaring whether a strike is legal or not.

Excessive civil or penal sanctions for workers and

unions involved in non-authorized strike actions.

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Uganda 2016 Page 6

Ratified ILO Conventions

With reference to Uganda’s ratification of the

international labour standards, a total 37 ILO

Conventions are ratified (see also Appendix Table

27):25

Fundamental Conventions: 8 of 8.

Governance Conventions (Priority): 3 of 4

Technical Conventions: 20 of 177.

Out of 31 Conventions ratified by Uganda, of

which 30 are in force, 1 Convention has been

denounced; none have been ratified in the past 12

months.

The latest ratified Conventions were in 2005: i)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention

(No. 111); ii) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006),

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to

Organize Convention (No. 87); and iii) Equal

Remuneration Convention (No. 100).

TRADE UNION RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Uganda was ranked as three out of five at ITUC’s

Global Rights Index in 2016, classified with ‘Regular

violations of rights’, i.e. “[g]overnments and/or

companies are regularly interfering in collective labour

rights or are failing to fully guarantee important

aspects of these rights. There are deficiencies in laws

and/or certain practices which make frequent violations

possible.”26 The country has stayed on that ranking

during the last three years (Table 5).

Table 5: Global Rights Index, Uganda ranking, 2014-2016 2014 2015 2016

Ranking on the Global Rights

Index 3 3 3

Note: Five clusters in total with ratings from 1 to 5. A country is

assigned the rating 5+ by default, if the rule of law has completely

broken down.

Source: ITUC, Global Rights Index

Since 2014 ITUC has registered one case related to an

arrest made to trade unionists, which is something usual

in Uganda. Among others, two unionists were arrested

when they were demanding the introduction of a

minimum wage. On the same token, demonstrations are

often prohibited.27

Another source registered several instances of

government interference in union activity: 28

First of all, NOTU reported major strikes over low

salaries, wages, delayed salary payments, and poor

working conditions and claimed police often used

excessive force to disperse striking workers.

Secondly, anti-union discrimination occurred, and labour

activists accused several companies of preventing

employees from joining unions by denying promotions,

not renewing work contracts, and sometimes refusing to

recognize unions. NOTU reported many workers failed

to join trade unions due to fear of intimidation and

dismissal.

Thirdly, labour activists reported some employers

ignored the legal requirement to enter into CBAs with

registered unions. Labour activists also registered that

some employers resorted to subcontracting and

outsourcing services or hired workers temporarily to

avoid such agreements. NOTU argued that employers

required a document of recognition from a union before

they would engage in collective bargaining with it.

There are reports of forced labour, particularly in

prisons. Many men prisoners perform arduous physical

labour, while women prisoners produce marketable

handicrafts, such as woven basketry. Compensation,

when paid, generally was very low.29

ILO's Committee of Freedom of Association has no

Freedom of Association cases or follow-up cases with

Uganda (Table 6).

Table 6: Freedom of Association cases in Uganda, 2016

ILO Complaints Procedure

Active 0

Follow-up 0

Closed 4

Source: ILO, NORMLEX, International Labour Standards country

profile, Uganda

WORKING CONDITIONS

The legal minimum wage was set at 6,000 Shillings

(US$2.2) back in 1984 and has not been updated since

then (Table 7). In 2003 the government and the private

sector attempted to negotiate the minimum wage,

raising it to 54,000 Shillings (US$21). The initiative did

not pass by law, though.30 In 2015 a new initiative, the

draft Private Member’s Minimum Wages Bill, was

presented in the Parliament. And, as previously

mentioned, the Government formed a minimum wage

body in 2016 that review the economic relationship

between minimum wages. Om this background, the

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International Labour Organization (ILO) dropped

Uganda off the shortlisted countries. Albeit the

Parliament is in final stages of passing the long-

awaited Wage Bill, delays have been related to

debates and technical estimations of the financial

implication of the law.

Public service unions, including medical staff and

teachers, are able to negotiate salaries and

employment terms for members. The government fixed

salaries for “essential government employees,” including

police, military, and management-level officials.

However, many of these government workers in

Uganda get as little as 250,000 Shillings (US$84),

which is about half of the minimum wage in Kenya.

Table 7: Wages and earnings, Monthly average and legal minimum wages

Current Ugandan Shilling

US$ Current

Average wages (2012)

459,639 184

Median Wage (2007)

140,000 82

Minimum wage (as of 1984) 6,000 2.7

Growth of real minimum wage (2000-2013)

-1.7 %

Growth of real average wage (2004-2012)

73 %

Growth of real average wage, % annual growth (2006-2012)

-0.7 %

Sources: ILO, Global Wage Database 2014/15; U.S. Department of State, Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2015

Figure 2 below shows an increase on average earnings

in the country, including in real terms. However, the

inflation of consumer prices has ‘eaten’ some of these

increases; so far the real average earnings peaked at

400,000 Shillings (US$158) in 2012.

Figure 2: Average earnings in Uganda, Shillings and US$, 2004-2012

Source: ILO, Global Wage Database

According to the Equal Opportunities Commission, the

wage/salary disparity in Uganda could become a

cause of concern for the country’s efforts to keep its

best professionals at home. For a long period, brain

drain has affecting the economy. The neighboring

countries are benefitting from the best of Uganda’s

professionals, especially in the medical and education

fields.31

Regarding the working conditions, it has been

registered by sources that some employers resort to

sub-contracting and outsourcing services or hire workers

temporarily to avoid such agreements.32 In the same

fashion, most employers do not give employees written

contracts of employment, resulting in lack of job security

and union representation.

Violations of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

standards – just as standard wages and overtime pay –

is common in several sectors in Uganda, e.g. steel

fabrication factories, domestic work, and the informal

economy. The law also includes provisions for district

labour inspectors. However, the authorities are only

carrying out few labour inspections in practice due to

inadequate training, funding, and logistical support. In

addition, the inspectors are present in only 44 of the

112 districts. Overall, sources have argued that the

authorities do not effectively enforce the law.33

The government initiated in 2016 to prosecuted

institutions and workplaces that have failed to register

as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Based on a procedure, over 3,000 workplaces were

unregistered institutions such as shops, factories,

restaurants, petrol stations, construction road works,

offices, markets, printing and publishing companies,

government ministries, hotels, exploration companies

and mining facilities. Many failed to register before the

deadline, facing closure and prosecution.

The prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS rose to 34% of the

population in the 1980s. Political will, donor support,

formation of various organizations to promote

awareness of the disease confronted the epidemic.

Today, the rate is 7%. The trade union movement has

been active in promoting awareness activities of OSH

and HIV/AIDS activities, e.g. support HIV/AIDS

workplace policy/strategy and include the theme in

CBAs.34 The National Policy on HIV/AIDS and the

World of Work from 2007 requires each employer

to formulate a sound HIV/AIDS policy. Also a heated

debate over an anti-gay law – and the general public

opinion being in support of the law – was considered a

125 127 139

173

145 134

150

124

158

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

450000

500000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Mean nominal earningsReal mean nominal earningsReal mean nominal earnings (US$)

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Uganda 2016 Page 8

major setback for the fight against HIV/AIDS. However,

NOTU, with the support from ILO, recently launched a

standard CBA to mainstream and negotiate better

working conditions for people living with HIV/AIDS in

different sectors.

A view of the working conditions in Uganda is

presented in Table 8 below.

Table 8: Working Conditions in Uganda

Normal Weekly Hour Limit 48 hours

Overtime Limit Unspecified

Max. Weekly Hours Limit Unspecified

Min. Mandatory Overtime

premium/time off in Lieu of

Overtime Wages

One and half times of the

normal hourly rate if the

overtime is on the normal

working days

Min. Annual Leave 15 days

Duration of Maternity Leave

Benefits 60 working days

Amount of Maternity Leave

Benefits 10 weeks

Source of Maternity Leave

Benefits Employer

Source: ILO, Working Conditions Law Report 2012

WORKFORCE

The total population in Uganda is 38.3 million (2016

est.) out of which 17.2 million covers the labour force.

Around three-quarters of the population are below the

age of 30 years old. States differently, Uganda has

one of the youngest and fastest growing populations in

Africa, which is creating a high pressure on job creation.

In the employment-to-population ratio men are slightly

more economically active than women by 85% and

79%, respectively. It is interesting to register that

Uganda has a relatively much higher employment-to-

population ratio than the sub-Saharan Africa average

on all levels, but especially among youth (Table 9).

Table 9: Employment-to-population ratio in Rwanda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2016, Age and Sex distribution

Sex Age Uganda SSA

Total

Total 15+ 82 % 65 %

Youth 15-24 71 % 48 %

Adult 25+ 89 % 74 %

Men Total 15+ 85 % 71 %

Youth 15-24 72 % 51 %

Adult 25+ 93 % 82 %

Women

Total 15+ 79 % 59 %

Youth 15-24 70 % 45 %

Adult 25+ 85 % 66 %

Source: ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM), 9th Edition

The total labour force participation rate in Uganda

shows an increasing trend from 76% in 2005 to 85% in

2016. Also the youth has experienced a fast rise from

61% to 76%, respectively. As already indicated, the

country’s participation rates remain much higher than

the sub-Saharan Africa average. The latter has been on

a flat growth at 70% and 54%, respectively (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Labour force participation rate in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 1995-2016, %


Inactivity

Uganda has a relatively lower inactivity rate which is

estimated at 15% of the total working-age population

(15+) and one out of four (24%) of the youth

population (15-24 years old) in 2016. Women have

marginally higher inactivity rates on all levels (Table

10).

Table 10: Inactivity Rate in Uganda, 2016

Total Men Women

Inactivity rate 15 % 12 % 18 %

Inactivity rate,

youth 24 % 23 % 26 %

Note: The inactivity rate is a measure of the proportion of a country’s

working-age population that is not engaged actively in the labour

market, either by working or looking for work.


40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

1995 2000 2005 2010 2016

Total - Uganda Youth - Uganda

Total - SSA Total - SSA

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Uganda 2016 Page 9

Qualification skills mismatch

The discrepancy between the qualifications held by

workers and those required by their job, which is called

qualification skills mismatch, was estimated quite high in

Uganda. For example, the skills mismatches are

affected by under-education (73%) and women have a

higher incidence (77%) than men (69%). Over-

education is not a critic issues in Uganda (Table 11).

Table 11: Skills mismatches between job requirements and qualifications in Uganda 2013, by sexes and age group 15-29 years old, %

Total Male Women

Incidence of over-education

3.4 % 4.1 % 2.7 %

Incidence of under-education

73 % 69 % 77 %


Unemployment

Unemployment is statistically not common in Uganda.

Estimations of both the unemployment and youth

unemployment rates have been estimated at 3.5% and

5.8% in 2016, respectively. There are some gender

gaps with women slightly more unemployed than men.

In addition, the time-related underemployment is

relatively low at 10% (Table 12). With this in mind, the

incidence of long-term unemployment is actually high at

29% (i.e. those unemployed one year or more as a

percentage of the total unemployed). The share of

youth unemployed in total unemployed is 58%, which

indicates that the youth have special difficulties finding

a job on the labour market.

Table 12: Unemployment, youth unemployment and underemployment in Uganda 2016, sex and %

Region Unemployment Youth

unemployment

Under-employment*)

(2013)

Total 3.5 % 5.8 % 10 %

Men 3.0 % 5.4 % 11 %

Women 4.0 % 6.1 % 8.7 %

*) This is measured as time-related underemployment as a percentage of

total employment.


Overall, Uganda has a much lower unemployment rates

than the sub-Saharan Africa averages. It is also

noteworthy to mention that the total unemployment and

youth unemployment rates have experienced

decreasing rates since 2013 (Figure 4). This is most

likely related to the growing enrolment rates in the

secondary and tertiary education levels as well as

working activities on the informal economy.

Figure 4: Unemployment trends in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 2007-2016, %


Interpretation of the open-unemployment and

employment rates as indicators of a well-functioning

labour market is problematic in developing countries.

When unemployment is not an option where a person

can survive, work of some sort has to be found, often

casual and informal work. Unemployment should

therefore be understood in relation to the strength of

social safety nets, the prevalence of informal

employment and how much of informal employment is

underemployment due to few formal employment

possibilities.35

In practice, the scarcity of job opportunities has led to

rural-urban migration, high competition in the labour

market and the emergence of a bulging

underemployed and unproductive work force.

Additionally, livelihoods in Uganda are often

characterized by informality, which disproportionally

affect the youth (see also the section: Informal

Economy). A stronger focus on job creation is on a rise.

Among others, the National Employment Policy for

Uganda from 2011 called youth employment as a

policy priority action area.36 The implementation of the

employment policy has moved slowly, though.

A program named “Skilling Uganda” to address

unemployment attempts to streamline skills development

efforts by bringing stakeholders together, e.g. trade

unions, FUE, Private Sector Foundation and Uganda

Manufactures Association, among others.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Total - Uganda Youth - Uganda

Total - SSA Youth - SSA





Uganda 2016 Page 10

Sectoral Employment

Uganda’s employment has significant difference in the

numbers of employed per sector and in the gender

distribution. First of all, the agricultural sector covers

11.6 million workers which constitute 74% of the total

sector employment share. This sector is slightly

dominated by women by 54%. Secondly, in the trade

and the restaurant/hotels sector around 1.5 million

workers are in employment, which is 9.4% of the total

employment and 46% are men. That sector is followed

by the manufacturing sector that includes 780,000

workers with a sector employment share at 4.9% and

slightly dominated by men (55%). The public sector is

the fourth largest sector with 716,000 workers with

4.5% of the total employment. This latter sector is

basically shared equally between men and women.

More sector employment data are available in Table

13.

Table 13: Total sector employment, sector employment share and ratio of men in sector employment in Uganda, 2009

Sector Total sector employment

Sector employment

share, %

Ratio of men in sector

employment, %

Agriculture 11,634,330 74 % 46 %

Mining & quarrying

48,622 0.3 % 73 %

Manufacturing 779,993 4.9 % 55 %

Electricity, gas & water

19,061 0.1 % 76 %

Construction 269,893 1.7 % 97 %

Trade, restaurants & hotels

1,483,994 9.4 % 46 %

Transport, storage & communication

317,280 2.0 % 98 %

Finance, real estate & business services

36,707 0.2 % 51 %

Public administration, education and health

715,490 4.5 % 51 %

Other sources * 462,372 2.9 % 44 %

Total 15,767,742 100 % 49 %

* Other sources - Arts, entertainment and recreation; Other service

activities; Activities of households as employers, undifferentiated

goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use;

and Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies.


Despite the agricultural sector is employing 74% of the

total employed workers, this sector creates relatively

low by 27% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). One

reason is that a vast majority of agricultural workers

lack a qualified education; access to capital and a low

labour productivity.

Several compelling estimations show that the very

narrow finance sector with 0.2% of the total

employment share has an extremely high GDP share by

workers at US$88,262 per worker per year, according

to the available data. In contrast, workers in the

agricultural sector produce US$627 per worker per

year. The public sector has also a low GDP share per

workers by US$755 per worker per year. It can be

seen that the manufacturing as well as the trade and

hotel/restaurant sectors have relatively low GDP share

by sector per worker. This signals that Uganda is

suffering from a shortage of skilled labour, including

accountants, lawyers, engineers, and technicians. More

information is available on Table 14.

Table 14: GDP share by sector, 2014, % and per worker

Sector GDP share

by sector, %

GDP share by sector per

worker, US$

Agriculture 27 % 627

Mining & quarrying 0.8 % 4,442

Manufacturing 10 % 3,461

Electricity, gas & water 2.8 % 39,660

Construction 8.4 % 8,403

Trade, restaurants & hotels

17 % 3,093

Transport, storage & communication

6.6 % 5,616

Finance, real estate & business services

12 % 88,262

Public administration, education and health

2.0 % 755

Other sources * 12 % 7,007

Note: GDP share by sector per worker is calculated by the total GDP

(current US$) divided by GDP share per sector origin which is divided

in number of workers per sector.

Source: ILO, Key Indicators of the Labour Market (KILM), 9th Edition;

and African Economic Outlook 2016, Uganda

To point out, Uganda has experienced an increasing

employment share in the agricultural sector from 66% in

2002 to 72% in 2013. The industry sector has declined

from 7% to 4% and the service sector from 22% to

20%, respectively (Figure 5).



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Uganda 2016 Page 11

Figure 5: Employment by aggregate sector in Uganda, 2002-2013, %


It has also been registered that the group of wage and

salaried workers has been on a rising trend of the total

employment from 14% in 2002 to 20% in 2013. Own-

account workers remain the largest group with 52% of

the total employment while the contributing family

workers at 27%, both have been on declining trends

(Figure 6).

Figure 6: Status in employment in Uganda, 2002-2013, %


The country’s agricultural sector share of the GDP

remains higher in comparison with the sub-Saharan

Africa average. This sector’s GDP share in Uganda fell

slightly from its peaking years 2009-2010 by 28% to

25% in 2015. On the other hand, the industry sector

share of GDP has been on a flat growth since 2009

and remains lower than the region average. Uganda

and the region have a similar GDP share in terms of the

service sector and following the same slowly increasing

trend (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Uganda’s sector share trend, % of GDP

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators

Uganda’s labour productivity was growing steadily

during the 2000s, but when entering the 2010s it

stalled. The country remains with a lower labour

productivity in comparison with the sub-Saharan Africa

average and far below the World average. These

gaps do not appear to be reduced for many years

ahead, though (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Labour productivity trend, 2007-2016

Note: Labour productivity is defined as output per worker (i.e. GDP

constant 2011 international US$ in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP));

and indexed year 2000 (=100).


Informal Economy

As many other sub-Saharan African countries, the

informal economy provides the vast majority of

employment in Uganda. This is related to that the

formal sector does not create sufficient new jobs to curb

the fast rising labour force. As a consequence, many

are forced to take up employment in the informal

economy, which is known by crowding out jobs in the

formal sector, low skilled, poorly remunerated,

66 69 72 74 72

7 8 5 7 4

22 24 23 19 20

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2002 2003 2005 2009 2013Agriculture Industry Services

14 15 18 20 0,3 0,3

0,5 1,2

54 59 51

52

32 26 29 27

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2002 2003 2005 2013

Wage & salaried workers EmployersOwn-account workers Contributing family workers

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Agriculture - Uganda Industry - Uganda

Services - Uganda Agriculture - SSA

Industry - SSA Services- SSA

137

142

145 146

153 153 151 151

153

156

125

130

135

140

145

150

155

160

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Uganda

Sub-Saharan Africa

World

Uganda Index year 2000 (=100)



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Uganda 2016 Page 12

hazardous and precarious jobs with almost no access to

social protection.37 As already mentioned, it also

absorbs many of the youth, while unemployment is not

an option. The coverage of employment in the informal

economy has been estimated at 94% of the total non-

agricultural employment (Table 15). This informality

includes lack of access to social security contribution and

enterprise’s registration status.

Table 15: Employment in the informal economy in Uganda, 2013, %

Share of persons in informal employment of total non-agricultural employment

94 %

Men 93 %

Women 95 %

Share of persons employed in the informal sector in total non-agricultural employment

60 %

Share of persons in informal employment outside the informal sector

14 %


Other data from the latest Ugandan National

Household Budget Survey from 2009/10 found 3.5

million engaged in the informal 'sector' work and 2.1

million in non-agricultural, which is a drop at 19% points

since the survey from 2002/03. The survey also showed

that 13% of informal sector workers are paid

employees, 23% are unpaid helpers and 63% are

working proprietors (mainly subsistence farmers). It is

also noteworthy to mention that paid employees have

been on an increase in this period, which is in line with

the just presented status of employment (Figure 9 &

Figure 6).

Figure 9: Employment by Activity Status in Uganda 2002/03 - 2009/10, %

Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda National Household Survey, 2009/10

Figure 10 shows that women are slightly more in

informal non-agricultural employment than men with

71% and 64%, respectively. There is a notable

exception of agriculture, though, that favouring men.

The informal businesses are mostly present in the

agricultural and trade sectors then followed by food

processing and manufacturing.

Figure 10: Distribution of employees engaged in the informal economy in Uganda 2009-2010, Industry and Gender, %

Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda National Household

Survey, 2009/10

Ownership of businesses in Uganda is dominated by

very small enterprises. According to the mentioned

2009/10 survey, 94% of enterprises with legal

ownership have been registered as sole proprietorship

while only 5% are owned as partnership. There is a

challenge of the taxation of such informal small-size

micro-enterprises and the self-employment workers.

Such enterprises are under severe liquidity pressure just

as the system is weak due to cumbersome manual

process operated by the Revenue Authorities and/or

very insufficient awareness of the regulations.

Figure 11: Distribution of Informal Businesses by Industry 2009-2010, %

Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda National Household

Survey, 2009/10

69%

9%

22%

64%

13%

23%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

WorkingProprietors

Paid Employees Unpaid Helpers

2002/03 2009/10

0%

20%

40%

60%

Male Female

27% 24%

15% 14%

9% 7%

3% 1% 1%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%


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Uganda 2016 Page 13

Especially the youth is caught in the informal economy.

First of all, the formal economy does simply not offer

sufficient jobs. Secondly, more than 80% of young

workers are associated with enterprises of less than five

workers and the majority of these firms are

unregistered. In practice, it is complicated to register a

starting a business (see more on Table 23).

In Uganda around 43% of organized young informal

workers are women and 57% are men. Other

estimation in terms of the distribution of young informal

workers by trade union membership by sex suggests

that 4.5% are men and 3.2% are women. This

relatively low enrolment in trade unions of youth from

the informal economy has frequently been related to

ignorance either about the existence of trade unions or

about the role of trade unions, i.e. estimated by survey

at 73%. On the same token, the percentage of those

who do not join a labour union due to lack of interest is

assessed at 6.1%.38

Migration

Migration has various forms: internally (rural-urban),

internally displaced persons and internationally.

Regarding the latter, the country receives almost double

remittances as share of GDP than the sub-Saharan

Africa average; most of this is used for household

consumption. Uganda has also a relatively high

(negative) net migration ratio to migration to average

population by -1 out of 1,106 inhabitants, more than

double than the region (Table 16 & Figure 12). Uganda

is fully immersed in South–South migration dynamics

with cultural and tribal linkages and a strong pull factor

for migration within and outside Uganda with a

demand for both skilled and unskilled labour.

Table 16: Migration Facts

Net migration (2008-2012)

Uganda - 150,000

Net migration to average population per year (2008-2012)

Uganda - 1 : 1,106 inhabitants

Sub-Saharan Africa

- 1 : 2,589 inhabitants

Personal remittances received, % of GDP (2012-2015, average)

Uganda 3.7 %

Sub-Saharan Africa

2.2 %

Note: Net migration rate is the difference of immigrants and emigrants within five years. A positive value represents more people entering the country than leaving it, while a negative value means more people leaving than entering it. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators

Figure 12: Net migration ratio to population in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa, 2000-2010


Uganda’s high population growth of 3.2% per annum

has been a driver of migration both internally rural-

urban and seeking jobs outside the borders. Regarding

the internal migration a rise in urban population from

5.4 million to 5.8 million between 2011 and 2012 was

registered. According to sources, a key point is that the

youth population is confronting challenges of ownership

of natural resources by the older generation. Stated

differently, the youth have limited or no access to

productive resources, which drives them to seek urban

employment opportunities or out of the country.39

There have been some improvements in recruitment and

support services in labour migration issues in Uganda.

Notwithstanding, based on a recent Labour Migration

Management Assessment, several problems are present:

i) high costs for migrant workers; ii) incomplete

supervision of recruitment agencies; iii) inadequate pre-

departure orientation; and iv) an absence of return and

reintegration measures.40

Trade unions in Uganda have only done limited on the

plight of migrant workers. However, they step in to talk

for them when they happen to learn that their rights are

violated. Their policies addressing internal displaced

persons are vague.41

Uganda and Kenya concluded in 2013 a bilateral

agreement to waive the work permit fees to allow for

free movement of labour between the two countries.

Moreover, the EAC commits Uganda to adopt measures

to facilitate the free movement of persons and labour

from the other five member states. In 2014 Uganda

pleaded to abolish work permit fees for all EAC

Citizens, to follow Rwanda and Kenya (see also the

sub-section: Trade Agreements).

-1040 -1106

-7681

-2589

-9000

-8000

-7000

-6000

-5000

-4000

-3000

-2000

-1000

0

2003-2007 2008-2012

Uganda Sub-Saharan Africa

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Uganda 2016 Page 14

Child Labour

Labour regulations regarding children are

contradictory, according to sources. First of all, the law

prohibits employers from hiring workers below age 18

and prohibits children under age 14 from being

employed, except in light work that does not interfere

with the child’s schooling. All children are prohibited

from being employed during school hours. Secondly, in

contrast the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social

Development (MGLSD) regulations permit the

employment of children between ages 14 and 18.

Children age 15 and older who have completed their

education may work up to seven hours per day, not to

exceed 35 hours per week.42

Children aged less than 18 years account for 58% of

the total population. The first comprehensive national

survey on child labour in Uganda from 2011/12 shows

that close to two out of five (39%) children are in

employment involved in economic activity and 16% are

child labourers (Table 17).

Table 17: Working children Proportion of all children in age group

Region Year Type Proportion

Uganda (age 5-17)

2010

Children in employment

51 %

Child labourers 25 %

2011/12

Children in employment *)

39 %


Hazardous work 25 %

Sub-Saharan Africa (age 5-17)

2008

Children in employment

28 %


Hazardous work 13 %

Note: Children in employment includes all children who conducts some kind of work or are involved in economic activity, whereas child labourers is a narrower term without mild forms of work. Hazardous work is the worst from of child labour as defined in ILO C182. *) Children in employment in age group 6-17 years old. Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda National Household Survey, 2009/10; ILO & UBOS, Children Labour Report, The National Labour Force and Children Activities Survey 2011/12, 2013; and ILO, Accelerating action against child labour, International Labour Conference, 99th Session 2010

Based on roughly comparisons from a household survey

from 2010, both children in employment and child

labourers were decreasing. This is related to the

increasing school enrolment trends. The former remains

higher than the sub-Saharan Africa average, while child

labourers is now lower. This could also be related to

Uganda's more updated data than the region average

(see table above).

MGLSD provides social services to children working in

the worst forms of child labour and other vulnerable

groups. The ministry also conducts training for staff,

local leaders, and district labour inspectors. Labour

officers are responsible for reporting on child labour

problems, but, as already mentioned, 68 out of 112

districts in the country do not have one.

Children's work is mainly in the agriculture sector which

accounts for about 93% of the total child workers. This

sector is known of the worst forms of child labour. The

Kampala district, which is wholly urban, has the highest

percentage of child workers engaged in the service

industry within the informal economy at 79%. Working

children put in an average of 19 hours of work per

week in economic activities.43

The Government approved and launched the National

Action Plan for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of

Child Labor (2012/13-2016/17) (NAP). Gaps in the

legal framework persist, such as between compulsory

education and minimum working ages.44

Gender

According to the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI)

2016, Uganda is ranking 61 out of 144 countries (1 is

highest). This GGGI focuses on measuring gaps rather

than levels; gaps in outcome variables rather than gaps

in input variables; and ranks countries according to

gender equality rather than women’s empowerment.

The country scores high (37) in terms of political

empowerment while the economic participation (87)

and education attainment (120) is scoring much less.45

As mentioned, access to economic opportunities

continues to sustain disparities. One issue is that women

are still getting married at an early age. Nevertheless,

trends in age-at-first marriage have somewhat changed

since 1995. This can partly be due to the

implementation of universal primary education.

However, problems still exist. For instance, a majority of

girls are still out of school due to pregnancy.

In this report, it was illustrated that men and women

have a very close share of employment in Uganda, i.e.

49% and 51%, respectively. But per sector there are

divergences, especially the industry sector is dominated

by men. Women have a higher employment ratio in

total employment than men in the agricultural sector

(Table 13). However, the divergent land tenure system

and overlapping land rights are affecting women, e.g.



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Uganda 2016 Page 15

many women landless farmers cannot easily access

land.46 As a proxy measurement, this situation can also

be shown by the low number of firms with women’s

participation in ownership in Uganda (Figure 13).

Figure 13: Women in firms’ top management and ownership, 2013

Source: World Bank, Enterprise Survey, Uganda 2013 Country Profile

Captivating data also show that while men experienced

a rapid decrease on own-account workers from 60% in

2003 to 49% in 2013, it increased for women from

49% to 55%. In contrast, women as contributing family

workers fell from 43% to 30% while it rose from 20%

to 23% for men. These trends suggest that more women

are becoming more self-employed, while more men are

becoming unpaid family workers. Men are still hovering

above women in terms of wage and salaried workers

(Figure 14).

Figure 14: Status in employment in Uganda, 2002-2013, by sex, %


There is a need for increasing gender equity in trade

union membership and leadership levels. Affiliated

membership through NOTU recently reached an overall

equality of 32 elected positions, i.e. 17 were women

(53%) and 15 were men (47%).47 On the same token,

NOTU is collaborating with the Trade Union

Confederation for the East African Community (EATUC)

to promote gender equality, both within the labour

movement and in Uganda.48

Youth

It is estimated that Uganda has 78% of its population

below the ages of 30 years old making it one of the

world’s youngest populations. A majority of youth

employment exists in the agricultural sector. Less than

5% of those are in wage-paying jobs and the majority

is engaged as subsistence family workers with no wages

accruing to them. Similarly, informal employment

accounts for the highest proportion of employed youths

outside agriculture. During the last decade, the youth

participation rate has experienced a fast rise from

61% in 2005 to 76% in 2016, respectively; and the

increase has been slightly faster for men than women.

Uganda’s faster youth participation evolution by both

sexes is in contrast with the sub-Saharan Africa

average that has stayed on a flat growth during the

last decade (Figure 15).

Figure 15: Youth labour force participation rate in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 1995-2016, by sex, %


As shown the standard estimation of youth

unemployment is low in Uganda. However, a more

'relaxed' version has estimated it at 10%.49 Urban

youth are more likely to be unemployed (12%) than

rural youth (3%). In addition, women youth are twice as

likely to be unemployed compared to men youth.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Firms with women topmanager

Firms with womenparticipation in

ownershipUganda SSA Low income

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

2002 2003 2013

Wage & salaried workers . Men

Own-account workers - Men

Contributing family workers - Men

Wage & salaried workers - Women

Own-account workers - Women

Contributing family workers - Women

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

1995 2000 2005 2010 2016

Uganda - Men Uganda - Women

SSA - Men SSA - Women

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Uganda 2016 Page 16

Generally the low measured unemployment figures do

not signify a healthy labour market. First of all, the

youth unemployment is frequently related to the lack of

employable skills; limited access to resources like land

and capital; insufficient job creating in the formal

sector; and most jobs are in the informal economy with

some of the worst working conditions. .

There has also been noted that young people

frequently have a negative attitude towards certain

types of work, which has also contributed to their

inability to find gainful employment. Besides, existing

policies also continue focusing on creating job seekers

instead of job creators.50 The government has put in

place a program to reduce unemployment, especially

among the youth, which includes the recent Youth

Livelihood Program.51

EDUCATION

The population age group 25+ in Uganda has an

average of 4.7 years of schooling and 21% of the

population aged 15 and above has no schooling. There

are deep gaps between males and females; for

example, the no schooling rate was estimated at 12%

and 29%, respectively. As mentioned, many young

women leave the school system in an early age because

they get pregnant, which is exemplified in their low

completion of schooling (Table 18). .

Table 18: Highest level attained and years of schooling in the population 2010, Population 25+, Male & female, % of population

Highest Level Attained Male Female

No Schooling 12 % 29 %

Primary Begun 53 % 48 %

Completed 14 % 8.5 %

Secondary Begun 31 % 21 %

Completed 9.1 % 6.0 %

Tertiary Begun 3.8 % 1.9 %

Completed 2.5 % 1.4 %

Average year of total schooling

6.3 4.5

Note: Primary, secondary and tertiary is the internationally defined distinction of education. In Denmark these corresponds to grundskole, gymnasium & university.

Source: Barro, Robert and Jong-Wha Lee, April 2010, "A New Data Set of Educational Attainment in the World, 1950-2010." NBER Working Paper No. 15902

The government has implemented free Universal

Primary Education since 1997. It signals the high

enrolment in schooling in Uganda. The net enrolment in

primary education is very high in comparison with the

region average, including with the high prevalence of

child labour in Uganda in mind. The large number of

children enrolled in primary education did decrease the

quality of education, as resources and teachers did not

grow as fast as enrolment. Enrolments in secondary and

tertiary educations are lower than the sub-Saharan

Africa averages (Figure 16).

Figure 16: School levels and Enrolment 2004-2013, Males and females, Uganda & sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), %

Note: Net enrolment is the ratio of children of official school age, who

are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official

school age. Gross enrolment is the ratio of total enrolment, regardless

of age, to the population of the corresponding official school age.

Gross enrolment can therefore be higher than 100%, but with tertiary

or university education, the age of the pupils is more diverse.

Source: World Bank, Education Statistics

50

60

70

80

90

100Net Enrolment in Primary School

Uganda -Males

Uganda -Females

SSA -Males

SSA -Males

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40Net Enrolment in Secondary School

Uganda -Males

Uganda -Females

SSA -Males

SSA -Females

0

2

4

6

8

10

12Gross Enrolment in Tertiary School

Uganda -Male

Uganda -Females

SSA -Males

SSA -Females

http://www.barrolee.com/



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Uganda 2016 Page 17

Based on a recent study, university education in Uganda

has some relatively positive impact on trade union

membership since one could expect that awareness and

access to information increases with further education.52

Vocational training

The enrolment in vocational training in Uganda is

relatively low. As an example, the ratio of pupils in

vocational student to all pupils in secondary education

has been estimated at 3.5% in comparison with 6.2% in

the sub-Saharan Africa average. In addition, women

have a lower participation in vocational training than

the region average, i.e. 30% and 39%, respectively

(Table 19).

Table 19: Status of vocational training

Pupils in vocational training (2010)

Uganda 39,250

Vocational pupils (% women) (2010)

Uganda 30 %

SSA 39 %

Ratio of pupils in vocational student to all pupils in secondary education (Average 2008-2010)

Uganda 3.5 %

SSA 6.2 %

Ratio of pupils in vocational training out of 15-24 year olds (Average 2008-2010)

Uganda 0.6 %

SSA 1.6 %


The ratio of vocational students to all pupils in

secondary education has experienced a declining

trend. This is related to a decreasing number of pupils

in vocational training as well as the increasing

enrolment in secondary schooling (Figure 17).

Figure 17: Vocational training trends 2000-2010, Ratios (%) and pupils in vocational training


The Business, Technical, Vocational Education and

Training (BTVET) Act from 2008 was put in place to

address the redundancy of the different institutions for

vocational training. Most vocational programs are

oriented towards pre-employment, supply-driven and

targeting towards modern sector needs. Based on the

Government’s estimations, 20% of the spaces for

vocational training are reserved to children withdrawn

from child labour.53

The National Employment Policy targets on three

objectives in terms of the challenges of vocational

training are: i) matching supply to demand for skills, ii)

helping workers and enterprises adjust to change, and

iii) forecasting as well as delivering the new wider skills

that will be needed in the future.54

The BTVET system has led to the equitable distribution

of vocational and skills training centers. However, it has

been noted that the sector has been ineffective and

falls short on several aspects: i) government funding to

this sector is very minimal; ii) an absence of sufficient

training and practice facilities/equipment makes it

extremely hard for the students to attain the best form

of training and experience required; and iii) the

purchase of the equipment to facilitate the work in the

sector is very expensive and cannot be secured by the

people pursuing this training.55 Sources have also

argued that the vocational training system is not in line

with in-employment models and the character of the

economy and labour market.56 NOTU is lobbying

government to include vocational training into the new

employment policy.

It is estimated that 35% of firms are offering formal

training programs for their permanent, full-time

employees.57 However, few wage and salaried workers

have permanent employment status and even fewer

benefit from programs of in-employment training

provided by their employers. Not to mention, as shown,

a large majority of workers in employment operate in

the informal economy and their enterprises cannot

afford to offer long-term vocational training schemes.

Based on funding from World Bank, Uganda is

currently running a program named “Skilling Uganda”

aiming at streamlining skills development initiatives and

efforts by bringing all stakeholders together. This

program is expected to be turned into an authority for

skills development. NOTU is represented on the Board

and advocate for Skilling Uganda to address the lack

of technical skills. It has a focus on university education

by bringing on board vocational training, educating

people to be self-employed and increasing skills in

informal economy as there is lack of jobs in the formal

0

20000

40000

60000

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Ratio of pupils in vocational training vs. secondary education (%) - Uganda

Ratio of pupils in vocational training vs secondary pupils (%) - SSA

Pupils in vocational training - Uganda




Uganda 2016 Page 18

sector. There are vocational training centres in every

district (offering two years education programs).

SOCIAL PROTECTION

The social security schemes in Uganda consist of

contributory and/or compulsory social insurance for

formal workers. These are known as the National Social

Security Fund (NSSF) and the Public Service Pension

Schemes (PSPS) that especially target all public

servants. Other smaller schemes are present. The current

social security schemes exclude employees from the

informal sector.58 However, there have been some plans

to introduce a nationwide Social Health Insurance

scheme (SHI), which would also cover workers from the

informal economy.

Microfinance insurance schemes are an option for

informal economy workers, they are privately run

through either micro-finance institutions or health-care

providers, and delivers mainly accident and health

insurance. So far they have achieved little coverage.59

Some of the weaknesses in the social protection system

can be exemplified in data. First of all, Uganda lags

behind the sub-Saharan Africa average in many

aspects of the system, e.g. the total social protection has

been estimated at 3.5% of GDP while it is 4.3% in the

region average. Likewise the health social protection

coverage is extremely low at 2.0% of the population in

comparison with the Africa average at 25% (Table 20).

Table 20: Public spending on social protection schemes, 2011

Indicator Measure Uganda SSA

Total social

protection

expenditure

% of GDP 3.5 % 4.3 %

Public health care

expenditure % of GDP 2.3 % 2.6 %

Health social

protection coverage

% of total

population 2.0 % 25 %*

Trends in government

expenditure in health

% change per

year 12 % N/a

* The average covers the entire Africa region.

Source: ILO, Social Protection, Statistics and indicators

In terms of total health-care expenditure not financed

by private household’s out-of-pocket payments,

Uganda has the lowest measurement at 52% in

comparison with the neighbouring East African countries.

The trend has slowly increased during the 2000s and

getting closer to Kenya’s rate that was estimated at

54% (Figure 18).

Figure 18: Health-care expenditure not financed by private household's out-of-pocket payments, 1995-2011, %

Source: ILO, Addressing the Global Health Crisis: Universal Health

Protection Policies, 2014

The NSSF is a main contributory social protection

scheme for old-age pension, disability, survivors and

work injury, for workers employed in the formal sector,

excluding self-employed. The scheme is mandatory for

firms with more than five employees, and voluntary for

smaller firms. Apart from work injury, 5% of salary is

paid by the employee and 10% by employer. The

NSSF was reformed in 2010 to increase coverage,

contribution and reduce administration costs. As of June

2011, NSSF had a membership of equivalent at 1.3%

of the population. It is therefore a very limited

coverage.60

As already mentioned, Uganda has also a limited

system of contributory social protection mechanisms for

formal salaried or self-employed workers. The system is

granting access medical care, old-age pension,

disability, maternity, and paid leave. As an example,

the coverage of the proportion of total pensionable

age receiving an old age pension was estimated at

6.6% in comparison with the Africa average at 22%.

This gap is similar among the active contributors to old

age effective coverage that was assessed at 4.6% and

the sub-Saharan Africa average at 8.4% (see also

Table 21). It is interesting to note that more women are

contributors to old age effective coverage than men at

5.1% and 4.1%, respectively.

40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

75%

80%

85%

90%

1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Burundi Kenya Rwanda

Tanzania Uganda

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Uganda 2016 Page 19

Table 21: Pension Benefits, Coverage and Contributions in Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), %

Theme Measure Uganda SSA

Social benefits for active

age (2010) % of GDP 0.4 % 0.3 %

Pensionable age

receiving an old age

pension (age 55+)

(2012)

Proportion

of total 6.6 % 22 %*

Active contributors to a

pension scheme (2007) 15+ 4.6 % 8.4 %

Active contributors to a

pension scheme (2007)

15-64

years 3.8 % 5.9 %

Note: Years are from Uganda and years from SSA are the latest.

* The average covers the entire Africa region, which is most likely to

be higher than the SSA average.

Source: ILO, Social Protection, Statistics and indicators

A very controversial draft Retirement Benefits Sector

Liberalisation Bill 2011 had been presented to the

Parliament. It entailed a number of reforms, which had

some criticised loopholes. The trade union movement

presented position papers outlining the negative impact

on workers position of the proposed social security

liberalization. Through lobby and advocacy, the trade

unions succeeded to have the proposed pension

liberalization bill detailed and was given the chance to

come up with a draft alternative Pension Reform Act to

amend the NSSF bill (Modernization of NSSF, inclusion

of informal sector, increase number of benefits from 3

to 9 etc.). However, during the parliamentary session in

October 2014, it was decided to withdraw the Social

Security Liberalization bill till until further notice.

The Expanding Social Protection Program’s (ESP)

purpose is to embed a national social protection system

that benefits the poorest people among the population.

Among others, there are implemented two pilot

schemes: i) The Senior Citizens Grants and the

Vulnerable Family Grants. Under the Senior Citizens

Grants, older persons 65 years of age and above (but

60 years in the case of Karamoja region) receive

23,000 shillings (US$8) per month; and ii) the

Vulnerable Family Grants are paid out to households

with low labour capacity owing to age, physical

disability. These schemes are currently being piloted in

14 districts in the country.61

GENERAL ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

Uganda is a relatively small country, landlocked

economy and as demonstrated the private sector is still

largely informal. The country’s economy grew fast

during the last decades. For example, the GDP real

growth was estimated at 6.8% on average in the last

decade, which is higher than the sub-Saharan Africa

average at 4.8% (see more facts on Table 22).

Table 22: Key Facts on General Economic Performance in Uganda, 2015

GDP 26.4 billion US$

GDP real growth 5.0 %

Doing Business * (2016) +1 change in rank

116 of 190 countries

HDI ** -2 change in rank

163 of 188 countries

Gini Index *** (2012) 41.0

66 of 145 countries

* A high ranking on the Ease of Doing Business Index means the

regulatory environment is more conducive to the start-up and

operation of a local firm.62

** The Human Development Index (HDI) measures the average of a

long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of

living. HDI ranking change in the period 2009-2014.

*** A Gini coefficient of 1 (or 100 percent) expresses maximal

inequality among values. This Gini Index ranks the first country with

the highest inequality while the number 145 has the highest equality.

Source: CIA, The World Factbook, Uganda; World Bank, World

Development Indicators; World Bank & IFC, Ease of Doing Business

2015/2016 in Uganda; and UNDP, Human Development Index

trends

Despite the high population growth at 3% per annum,

the GDP per capita growth has stayed on a relatively

high rate at 3.3% on average during the last decade

but with a declining, volatile trend (Figure 19).

Figure 19: GDP per capita real growth 2006-2015, Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), %

Source:World Bank, World Development Indicators;

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Uganda SSA

http://www.social-protection.org/gimi/gess/ShowTheme.do?tid=10

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Uganda 2016 Page 20

The country is still one of the poorest countries in the

world. In terms of the GDP per capita measured in

Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), Uganda is far below the

sub-Saharan Africa average and with a ranking as 202

out of 229 countries (1 is highest). On the other hand,

according to the Gini Index, the inequality in the

distribution of family income has experienced a

reduction from 44% in 2009 to 41% in 2012. This has

been related to the increasing average earnings in

Uganda and the slowly evolution of the wage and

salaried workers (revisit Figure 2 & Figure 6). Uganda

stays on a low-medium level of inequality at 66 out of

145 countries, ranking next to Burkina Faso and Guinea

(Table 22 & Figure 20).

Figure 20: GDP per capita (PPP) growth in US$ and Gini Index (%)

Note: A Gini coefficient of 1 (or 100 percent) expresses maximal

inequality among values.


The number of extreme working poor (>US$1.9 per

day) in Uganda has experienced a massive fall from

62% in 2002 to 22% in 2012. The number of

moderately working poor (≥US$1.90 & <US$3.10)

experienced an evolution from 19% in 2002 to 39% in

2012. Overall, the working poor living below US$3.1

per day have experienced a fall and the trends are

now below the sub-Saharan Africa averages (Figure

21).

Figure 21: Working poor trends, 1992-2012, %

Note: ‘Working poor’ is the proportion of persons living with their

families below the poverty line in line with the full distribution of

employment across economic classes.


These positive poverty reductions changes in Uganda

have also been registered by a growing middle-class.

For example, the lower middle-class (US$3.1-5 per

day) increased from 10% in 2002 to 24% in 2012 and

the higher middle-class (US$5-13 per day) also

increased from 7% to 14%, respectively. Uganda’s

middle-class population is now also superseding the

region average trends (Figure 22).

Figure 22: Middle-class trends, 1992-2012, %


The inflation in consumer prices has been quite high

during the last decade, which was related to the

43,0

44,0

41,0

39,5

40,0

40,5

41,0

41,5

42,0

42,5

43,0

43,5

44,0

44,5

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

Uganda - GINI Index Uganda SSA

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1992 1996 1999 2002 2005 2009 2012

Uganda - US$1.9 Uganda - US$3.1

SSA - US$1.9 SSA - US$3.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1992 1996 1999 2002 2005 2009 2012

Uganda - US$3.1-5 Uganda - US$5-13

SSA - US$3.1-5 SSA - US$5-13

http://databank.worldbank.org/data/home.aspx




Uganda 2016 Page 21

volatility of the depreciation of the currency against the

US dollar. However, in recent years the inflation has

been curbed at around 5%.

Figure 23: Inflation in consumer prices, 2006-2015, %


Oil discoveries and increasing commercial interest in

Uganda have bolstered the country's economic

prospects. The capital formation in Uganda has been

growing steadily since 2006. The rate peaked by 28%

of GDP in 2013, but fell to 20% in 2015. This drop has

been related to some uncertain global financial

conditions, such as the strengthening of the US dollar

and the drop of the oil prices. The country’s capital

formation remains significantly higher than the region

average, but the capital formation downturn is in

contrast with the region’s steady increase (Figure 24).

Figure 24: Gross Fixed Capital Formation, 2006-2015, % of GDP


The Doing Business Index placed Uganda on a ranking

116 out of 190 countries in 2016. Improvement were

mainly in getting credit in the period from 2015 to

2016. Afterwards few improvements have been

registered and some decreases have been noted.

Uganda is scoring on a higher level on the index than

the sub-Saharan Africa average, i.e. 58 in Uganda vs.

50 in the region (0 represents the worst performance

and 100 the frontier). The country scores lower than

Rwanda (56) and Kenya (92), but higher than Tanzania

(132), Malawi (135) and Burundi (157).

First of all, getting electricity is not easy (168 out of

190 countries); and it remains especially cumbersome to

formalizing starting a business (162) and dealing with

construction permits (153). In contrast, getting credit

(42), enforcing contracts (63) and paying taxes (76)

have some higher positive rankings (see more on Table

23).

Table 23: Uganda’s Ease of Doing Business

Topics 2017 2016 Change

Starting a Business 165 162 3

Dealing with Construction Permits 151 153 2

Getting Electricity 161 168 7

Registering Property 116 118 2

Getting Credit 44 42 2

Protecting Miniority Investors 106 101 5

Paying Taxes 75 76 1

Trading Across Borders 136 141 5

Enforcing Contracts 64 63 1

Resolving Insolvency 111 104 7

Note: The Doing Business 2017 indicators are ranking from 1 (top) to 190 (bottom) among other countries. The rankings tell much about the business environment, but do not measure all aspects of the business surroundings that matter to firms and investors or that affects the competitiveness of the economy. Still, a high ranking does mean that the government has created a regulatory environment conducive to operating a business. Note: This Index has been controversial due to flawed data, especially in terms of labour market flexibility and undervalued paying taxes. However, the table below can still be used as indicative measurement with reservations.63 Source: World Bank & IFC, Ease of Doing Business 2016 in Uganda

Uganda remains generally peaceful and politically

stable. The country held presidential and parliamentary

elections on 18 February 2016. Yoweri Museveni and

the National Resistance Movement (NRM) were re-

elected with a 68% majority. Museveni has already

been Uganda’s president for 30 years.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015


10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015




http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#starting-a-business

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#dealing-with-construction-permits

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#getting-electricity

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#registering-property

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#getting-credit

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#protecting-investors

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#paying-taxes

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#trading-across-borders

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#enforcing-contracts

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/nicaragua/#resolving-insolvency



Uganda 2016 Page 22

Overall, the governance environment in Uganda has

been with some small mixed results in the period from

2010 to 2015. First of all, the political stability

improved slightly from 16% in 2010 to 20% in 2015,

but remains on a low ranking. The government

effectiveness has basically been on a status quo staying

on a lower medium-level. Some minor drops were noted

on the other four other indicators, i.e. voice &

accountability, regulatory quality, rule of law, and

control of corruption. The control of corruption maintains

scoring low at 12%, while the others on a lower

medium-level (see more on Table 24).

Table 24: Uganda's Governance Indicators, 2010-2015

Indicator 2010 2015 Change

Voice &

Accountability -0.50 / 32% -0.59 / 29%

Political Stability -1.00 / 16% -0.86 / 20%

Government

Effectiveness -0.52 / 37% -0.48 / 37%

Regulatory

Quality -0.15 / 47% -0.24 / 46%

Rule of Law -0.39 / 43% -0.34 / 43%

Control of

Corruption -0.90 / 19% -1.05 / 12%

Note: The Governance Indicators score from ‐2.5 to 2.5 while the

percentiles rank from 0 (lowest) to 100 (highest).64

Source: World Bank, Worldwide Governance Indicators

TRADE

As shown in this profile, Uganda’s economy remains

predominantly agricultural with a small industrial sector.

The country is dependent on imported inputs like oil and

equipment. A hurdle to industrial production is the cost

of doing business.

The oil production in Uganda has many aspirations,

among others oil revenues and taxes are expected to

become a larger source of government funding during

the next five to ten years. Sources have observed that

lower oil prices since 2014 and protracted negotiations

and legal disputes between the Ugandan government

and oil companies may prove a challenge to further

exploration and development.65

Foreign trade in Uganda has experienced some

downturns during the recent years both in terms of

exports and imports. The country has a deep trade

deficit (Table 25).

Table 25: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), 2015

Exports Imports FDI flow FDI Stock (2013)

4.6 billion US$

7.8 billion US$

1.5 billion US$

8.8 billion US$

17 % of GDP

29 % of GDP

4.0% of GDP 34% of

GDP Source: CIA, The World Factbook, Uganda; World Bank, World

Development Indicators

The export in Uganda is much lower than the sub-

Saharan Africa average while the import has been

more in line, except with an increasing gap in recent

years (Figure 25). The instability in South Sudan has

disrupting some of Uganda's main export market.

Equally important the country is landlocked and

transport costs can make up 50%-75% of the retail

price of products in Uganda, which is a hindrance on

trade.66 Uganda together with Kenya and Rwanda

formed the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” within

the EAC for fast-tracking the regional integration.

Among others, the three countries have agreed on

major infrastructure projects including the Northern

Corridor Project (High Gauge railway) from the port of

Mombassa to Uganda and Rwanda.

The foreign direct investments have been quite high in

comparison with the region average. This has

contributing to the high economic development and

growth (Figure 25).

Figure 25: Trade and Foreign Direct Investment trends 2006-2015, Uganda and the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), % of GDP

Source:World Bank, World Development Indicators

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Uganda - Export Uganda - Import

Uganda - FDI SSA - Export

SSA - Import SSA - FDI

http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/index.aspx#reports






Uganda 2016 Page 23

Most of Uganda’s exports are still in agricultural

products. Figure 26 shows that products are relatively

diverse, with a notable share of coffee (20%) and raw

tobacco (6%). The commercial oil production export has

still not been registered as one of the country’s main

export products. Some smaller volumes of oil could be

produced from 2016 to generate energy for domestic

consumption. A refinery and a pipeline is expected to

be ready by 2017 to commercial oil production.

Figure 26: Uganda's main products share of exports, 2014

Source: MIT, The Observatory of Economic complexity,

Uganda

Uganda’s main export market is the European Union

(EU) (26%) as well as several to its neighbours Kenya

(10%), Rwanda (11%) and Congo (10%); and the

United Arab Emirates (10%) and China (4%) (Figure

27).

Figure 27: Uganda's main export markets, 2015

Source: European Commission, DG TRADE, Bilateral Relations, Statistics

Trade Agreements

Uganda is part of the EAC's free trade agreement from

1999 contains a labour provision with cooperation on

employment and working conditions. Likewise, the

labour provision of the Common Market for Eastern and

Southern Africa (COMESA) agreement extends to

cooperation on employment conditions and labour

law.67 Uganda is also part of the 2000 Cotonou

Agreement between EU and African, Caribbean and

Pacific (ACP) countries, which reaffirms commitment to

ILO’s Fundamental Conventions and includes a labour

provision on cooperation on various labour and social

issues.

In 2005, the members of the EAC established a customs

union and in 2010 the EAC agreed to establish full

common market with free movement for workers, goods,

services, and capital.

Freedom of association and collective bargaining is

enshrined in the EAC common market in the sense that

an EAC migrant worker has equal rights as a national.68

The free movement of labour within the EAC opens up

questions of how to achieve equal opportunities and

equal social and labour rights for migrant workers, for

example if workers can bring pensions with them across

borders. On the other hand, the free movement of

labour is also a source of concern in some of the EAC

countries, as the countries workforces have differences

in productivity and educational level. However, the

actual implementation of the economic integration have

slowed down the last few years, especially with

regards to lifting barriers to trade and free movement

of labour. Although formal tariffs are increasing

abolished, trade is still challenged by non-tariff

barriers and corruption.

The objective of the East African trade union movement

is to safeguard workers’ interests in the EAC, ensure that

ILO standards are upheld and member states’ labour

policies are harmonized and the tripartite model is

institutionalized, while the free movement of labour is

promoted. The trade union movement has reached

observer status in the EAC in 2009, and along with

employers’ organizations they participate in ministerial

summits, sectoral summits, and other summits that involve

labour market issues. However, the Social Agenda is

moving slow in the EAC and no meetings have been

convened in the Council of Ministers responsible for

labour for the last 3-4 years.

Coffee; 20%

Raw tobanno;

6%

Fish fillets; 4%

Tea; 4%

Cement; 4%

Other oily seeds;

3%

Others; 59%

EU 28; 26%

Kenya; 10%

Rwanda; 11% Congo,

DRC; 10%

U.A. Emirates;

10%

China; 4%

Others; 30%

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/profile/country/uga/

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/profile/country/uga/

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/bilateral-relations/statistics/

http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comesa.int%2F&ei=qCiKU5KVJIaLyAPW7oHICA&usg=AFQjCNE8FZ24iVxA67dic-5cWaUhhhxanQ&bvm=bv.67720277,d.bGQ&cad=rja

http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comesa.int%2F&ei=qCiKU5KVJIaLyAPW7oHICA&usg=AFQjCNE8FZ24iVxA67dic-5cWaUhhhxanQ&bvm=bv.67720277,d.bGQ&cad=rja


Uganda 2016 Page 24

Another issue is that the full implementation of

migration-related East African Community Protocols

could lead to an increase in the number of Ugandans

living in East African States. On the same token, it could

diminishing immigration and lead to an increase in the

foreign-born population in Uganda.

Through the EAC, Uganda could export duty and quota

free to the European Union (EU) since 2008. The country

will have to gradually remove duties and quotas from

EU exports to Uganda on most products, except the

products deemed to need protection from EU imports.

These include agricultural products, wines and spirits,

chemicals, plastics, wood based paper, textiles and

clothing.

Since 2000 Uganda has benefitted from the United

States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA),

which is a Generalised System of Preferences. It allows

duty and quota free access for some products. Despite

policy pronouncements, it has never managed to

establish an apparel industry on the back of AGOA.

Exports of these products to the U.S., which in 2003

amounted to US$1.6 million, have been on the decline

since then, reaching only US$143,000 in 2012. The

main reasons put forward for Uganda’s failure to take

advantage of AGOA provisions for the apparel sector

are high transportation and logistical costs, the absence

of an effective policy framework, weak government

commitment, lack of industry specific government

support and the limited availability of quality raw

materials.69

Special Economic Zones (SEZ)

In Uganda there were long-standing interests in

establishing SEZs. The progress was somewhat delayed

by lack of clarity despite the drafting of a Special

Economic Zones Bill in 2002. The Free Zone Act was

finally approved in 2014. This includes establishing the

Uganda Free Zones Authority (UFZA).

One of the challenges of the SEZs in Uganda has been

its landlocked situation. But the Government has

planned to develop a railway, linking the whole of East

Africa up to Ethiopia through South Sudan and plans to

develop the Entebbe Airport to become a regional and

continental hub. At the same time, a shortage of

serviced industrial land created constraints for the

expansion of the manufacturing sector in general and

exports in particular. For example, established locations

within Kampala are fully occupied and have little space

for expansion.

There have been many investors in domestic

manufacturing enterprises that are expanding

production and storage/distribution facilities and

positioning themselves to supply the regional export

market. There has been interest by large agro-

processing conglomerate and a steel reversing mill as

well as textile and garments under the AGOA.

The government signed an agreement in December

2015 to establish the first Special Economic Zone in

Uganda, which is placed in Kaweweta, Nakaseke

district, north-west of Kampala. The project is expected

to accelerate infrastructure development and create up

to 15,000 – 20,000 jobs in about 200 entities. The SEZ

will be a specially demarcated duty free enclave that

will be specialized with production, processing,

packaging and export of agribusiness products.

Despite the exemption from taxes and duties in the

SEZs, a recent survey showed that over 92% of

investors in Uganda are currently enjoying tax

incentives and will thus most likely invest their capital

even without these SEZ scheme.70


Uganda 2016 Page 25

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL DATA

Table 26: List approved labour related legislations in Uganda, 2014-2016

Type of legislation Legislation

2014

General provisions Free Zones Act, 2014 (No. 5 of 2014)

Education, vocational guidance and training

Higher Education Students Financing Act, 2014 (No. 2 of 2014)

2015

General provisions Presidential Elections (Amendment) Act, 2015 (No. 14 of 2015)

General provisions Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2015 (No. 12 of 2015)

Equality of opportunity and

treatment National Women's Council (Amendment) Act 2015 (Act 17 of 2015)

Employment policy, promotion of employment and employment services

National Council for Disability (Amendment) Act (No. 19 of 2015)

2016

General provisions Non-Governmental Organisations Act, 2016 (Act of 2016)

Source: ILO, NATLEX, Country Profile Uganda, Basic Laws

Table 27: Ratified ILO Conventions

Subject and/or right Convention Ratification date

Fundamental Conventions

Freedom of association and collective bargaining

C087 - Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, 1948 2005

C098 - Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 1963

Elimination of all forms of forced labour

C029 - Forced Labour Convention, 1930 1963

C105 - Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 1963

Effective abolition of child labour

C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973 2003

C182 - Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 2001

Elimination of discri-mination in employment

C100 - Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 2005

C111 - Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 2005

Governance Conventions

Labour inspection C081 - Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 1963

C129 - Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 Not ratified

Employment policy C122 - Employment Policy Convention, 1964 1967

Tripartism C144 - Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 1994

Up-to-date Conventions

Wages C094 - Labour Clauses (Public Contracts) Convention, 1949 1963

C095 - Protection of Wages Convention, 1949 1963

Young persons C124 - Medical Examination of Young Persons (Underground Work), 1965 1967

Migrant workers C143 - Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 1978

Industrial relations C154 - Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 1990

Employment Policy C159 - Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (disabled persons), 1983 1990

Occupational Safety and Health

C162 - Asbestos Convention, 1986 1990

Note: Fundamental Conventions are the eight most important ILO conventions that cover four fundamental principles and rights at work. Equivalent to basic human rights at work. Governance Conventions are four conventions that the ILO has designated as important to building national institutions and capacities that serve to promote employment. In other words, conventions that promotes a well-regulated and well-functioning labour market. In addition, there are 71 conventions, which ILO considers “up-to-date" and actively promotes. Source: ILO, NORMLEX


http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/


Uganda 2016 Page 26

Table 28: Trade Unions in Uganda, 2016

Trade Union

Affiliation To national trade union

centre

Total Members

Dues No. of CBAs

Unions Affiliated to NOTU

Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) NOTU 74,300 2% Salary 8

Uganda Beverage Tobacco and Allied Workers Union NOTU 3,962 2% Salary 6

Uganda Building Construction, Civil Engineering, Cement & Allied Workers’ Union

NOTU 4,540 2% salary 6

Uganda Government and Allied Workers’ Union (UGAWU) NOTU 5,300 2% salary 1

National Union of Clerical, Commercial, Professional and Technical Employees

NOTU 946 2% Salary 3

National Union of Education Institutions NOTU 6,400 3% salary 3

Uganda Mines, Metal and Allied Workers′ Union NOTU 1,043 2% Salary 5

National Union of Plantation and Agricultural Work (NUPAWU) NOTU 102,675 2% Salary 12

Uganda CommunicationEmployees’ Union NOTU 221 2% Salary 3

Uganda Public Employees Union NOTU 5,011 2% Salary -

Uganda Electricity and Allied Workers′ Union. NOTU 905 2% Salary 4

Uganda Railways Workers Union NOTU 438 2% Salary 1

Uganda Hospitality Leisure and Allied Workers Union. NOTU 32 2% Salary 2

Uganda Media Union NOTU 313 2% Salary

Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union NOTU 2,000 2% salary -

Uganda Fisheries and Allied Workers Union NOTU 1,500 2% Salary -

Uganda Horticulture, Industrial Service Providers and Allied

Workers’ Union NOTU 7,873 2%

1

general

CBA

UNATU Uganda National Teachers' Union NOTU 160,000 1% Salary 1

National Union of Co-operative Movement Workers’ Union NOTU 3,545 2% Salary 6

Uganda Mine, Metal, Oil, Gas and Allied Workers’ Union NOTU 1,043 2% 5

Uganda Horticultural, Industrial, Service Providers and Allied Workers Union (UHISPAWU)

NOTU 7,873 3% Salary 1

general CBA

National Union of Theatrical, Domestic and General Workers NOTU 3,000 2% salary 4

Uganda Textile Lather and Allied Workers’ Union NOTU - - -

Uganda Hotels, Food, Tourism and Allied Workers Union NOTU 50,000 - -

National Union of Infrastructural, Civil Works and Wood Workers

NOTU 2,929 - -

Unions Affiliated to COFTU

Uganda Journalists Union COFTU - - -

Uganda Markets & Allied Employees Union COFTU - - -

Uganda Chemical, Petroleum & Allied Workers Union COFTU - - -

Uganda Private Teachers Union COFTU - - -

Uganda Brewery, Bottling, Distillers and Allied Workers Union COFTU - - -

National Union of Drivers Cyclist & Allied Union Workers COFTU - - -

University Professionals and Academic Staff Union COFTU - - -

National Union of Micro Finance Savings & Credit Organization Workers

COFTU - - -

National Union of Local Government Workers COFTU - - -

Agro Based Workers Union COFTU - - -


Uganda 2016 Page 27

Uganda Artisan & Allied Workers Union COFTU - - -

Uganda Courier and telecom Union COFTU - - -

The National Alliance of Informal Economy Workers Organization

COFTU - - -

Uganda Printers, Polyfibre and Allied Workers Union * COFTU 1,329 - -

Uganda Civil Society Organizations Workers’ Union * COFTU 1,214 - -

Uganda Parastatals, Statutory Authority and Judicial Workers’ Union *

COFTU 680 - -

Uganda Scientist, Researchers and Allied Workers Union * COFTU 510 - -

National Union of Creative, Performing Artists and Allied Workers

COFTU - - -

Independent Unions

Uganda Printers, Polyfibre and Allied Workers Union * Not Affiliated 1,329 - -

Uganda Civil Society Organizations Workers’ Union * Not Affiliated 1,214 - -

Uganda Parastatals, Statutory Authority and Judicial Workers’ Union **

Not Affiliated 680 - -

National Union of Infrastructural, Civil Works and Wood Workers *

Not Affiliated 2,929 - -

Uganda Scientist, Researchers and Allied Workers Union * Not Affiliated 510 - -

Kampala Metropolitan Boda-Boda Association Not Affiliated 64,000 - -

Namabitabodaboda association Not Affiliated - - -

Seetabodaboda association Not Affiliated - - -

AbaitaAbariki pick up and lorries association Not Affiliated - - -

Malaba taxi drivers association Not Affiliated - - -

* Trade union applied for affiliation to NOTU. Sources: NOTU and LO/FTF Council


Uganda 2016 Page 28

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http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.details?p_lang=en&p_country=UGA&p_classification=02&p_origin=COUNTRY&p_sortby=SORTBY_COUNTRY

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.details?p_lang=en&p_country=UGA&p_classification=02&p_origin=COUNTRY&p_sortby=SORTBY_COUNTRY

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.details?p_lang=en&p_isn=44038


http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper







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http://www.ulii.org/files/labour%20dispute%20arbitration%20and%20settlement%20%20Act%202003.pdf



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http://www.ulii.org/ug/legislation/statutory-instrument/17-0


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http://survey.ituc-csi.org/Uganda.html#tabs-3







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http://modus/Programs/16-1101Docs/16-1104/Organizing%20of%20young%20informal%20workers.pdf



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http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/free/Labour_Migration_Assessment_Uganda_web.pdf

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http://modus/Operations/14-0521Docs/14-2751/In%20addition,%202.1%20million%20workers%20are%20wage%20employees%20and%20regular%20wage%20employment%20is%20thus%20relatively%20low.%20With%20a%20growth%20at%20around%205%20percent%20annually%20of%20wage%20employment%20do%20not%20curb%20the%20high%20influx%20of%20workers%20on%20the%20labour%20market.%20And,%20as%20already%20mentioned%20in%20Table%207,%20the%20GDP%20per%20capita%20growth%20has%20not%20superseded%20the%20employment%20rate.




http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/pdf/10.1596/1813-9450-5430




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http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21571920-africas-booming-economy-needs-modern-trade-routes-get-move?zid=304&ah=e5690753dc78ce91909083042ad12e30

http://www.ilo.org/inst/publication/discussion-papers/WCMS_192807/lang--en/index.htm

http://www.ilo.org/inst/publication/discussion-papers/WCMS_192807/lang--en/index.htm

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