Following reports that some of her daughter’s vital body organs are reportedly set to be illegally harvested in Saudi Arabia, Joan Agnes Kyotalimye’s father has cried out to the Ugandan recruitment agency that took her for work abroad to return her.
Kyotalimye left Uganda through Alasker International Company, a labour export form licensed by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. Alasker International Company is also a member of the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA).
According to the recruitment agency, whose Managing Director is Abdul Wahab Muyomba, Alasker International helped Kyotalimye to fly to Saudi Arabia on September 24, 2022. That Kyotalimye was healthy, having passed the requisite medical tests before being allowed to travel for work abroad as a casual laborer.
Kyotalimye would later get into the hands of Alasker’s partners in Saudi Arabia.
But a video showing Kyotalimye very sick and admitted in a health facility after some of her body organs were reportedly harvested illegally, made rounds online. Other reports suggested that the surgery for illegal organ harvesting was pending.
Alasker International Company claims that Kyotalimye, who they confirmed had left Uganda very healthy, has been receiving treatment for tuberculosis.
UAERA Vice Chairman Ibrahim Karim Bogere has been quoted as saying that Kyotalimye had tested negative for Tuberculosis according to tests done for Alasker International but this recruitment company’s partners Nesmat Akeem Recruitment Agency based in Saudi Arabia had found that she had TB when a second test was done on the girl’s arrival for work.
Kyotalimye’s father Paul Buluma told reporters at UAERA office in the capital Kampala that he had never seen his daughter very sick the way she looked in the video. As a parent, Buluma recalled that the only time she has seen Kyotalimye that ill was when her toe was operated on at a tender age.
He cried to UAERA to help him return his daughter to Uganda so that she can be treated here.
Bogere assured Buluma and other Kyotalimye’s relatives such as her uncle Moses Mubiru Ntwani that their daughter would be helped to return home once her health condition has improved, making her fit to travel.
Ugandans on kyeyo in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries have often complained of being badly treated.
Meanwhile, in Dubai authorities have announced tough conditions for Ugandans going for kyeyo, including each Ugandan work being required to have Shs5m on his or her account before boarding a plane to Dubai. (Read Story Here).
Last week, opposition leader and singer Bobi Wine’s Dubai charity concert was cancelled, hindering his plans of securing funds to return Ugandans stuck on kyeyo. But Bobi Wine has now announced a new fundraising drive. (See Details Here and There).