The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, has called for an immediate investigation into reports linking Charles Abbey Mwesigwa, a Ugandan man, to an alleged sex trafficking ring exploiting young Ugandan women in Dubai.

This follows a BBC investigative documentary which exposed Mwesigwa, a former bus driver in London, as a key figure in a network accused of luring vulnerable Ugandan girls to the United Arab Emirates with false promises of well-paying jobs. Once in Dubai, the women are reportedly forced into commercial sex work to repay large debts for travel, visas, and accommodation.

According to the documentary, Mwesigwa was recorded boasting about having access to girls who would perform “crazy” acts to satisfy wealthy clients. He allegedly told undercover journalists, “You have to tell me which girls you want, many are open minded, they will do whatever you want.”

Some of the women involved are said to have fallen into depression, with reports of suicides linked to the exploitation. Two Ugandan girls, Monic Karungi, who died in May 2022, and Kayla Birungi, who died in 2021, fell from buildings in the same Dubai neighborhood, Al Barsha. While Dubai Police suggested drug and alcohol abuse as causes of death, lab results showed no substances in their systems, raising suspicions of foul play.

A former associate named Troy, who claims he worked as a driver for Mwesigwa, told investigators that girls were transported to clubs where Mwesigwa allegedly bribed security to allow the women entry to work.

In response to these disturbing revelations, Hon. Tayebwa, during a Parliament sitting on September 16, 2025, directed the Government to present a detailed statement explaining how Ugandans are being trafficked under the guise of job opportunities abroad.

“We need to know how you followed up. Did these girls go through licensed recruitment firms, or were they trafficked outside legal channels?” he asked.

Hon. Abdulhu Byakatonda, the Workers’ MP, informed Parliament that he had already drafted the Labour Externalization and Management Bill, 2024, aimed at addressing loopholes and protecting Ugandans seeking employment abroad.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies have previously pledged efforts to raise awareness and improve coordination in the fight against human trafficking, but this latest case has renewed calls for urgent and concrete action.