Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Uganda (Ratification: 1963)

Article 1(a) of the Convention. Penal sanctions involving compulsory labour for holding or expressing political or ideological views opposed to the established political, social or economic system. The Committee notes that penalties of imprisonment (involving compulsory prison labour by virtue of section 62 of the Prisons Regulations) may be imposed under the following provisions of the Public Order Management Act, 2013: section 5(8) (disobedience of statutory duty in case of organizing a public meeting without any reasonable excuse); and section 8(4) (disobedience of lawful orders during public meetings). The Committee recalls that Article 1(a) prohibits the use of compulsory labour, including compulsory prison labour, as a punishment for holding or expressing political views or views ideologically opposed to the established political, social or economic system. The Committee observes that sections 5(8) and 8(4) are worded in terms broad enough that their application might lead to situations that are incompatible with the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the application in practice of sections 5(8) and 8(4) of the Public Order Management Act, 2013, in order to ascertain their compatibility with the Convention, including copies of court decisions illustrating the application of the above sections, and indicating the penalties imposed.

Article 1(d). Penal sanctions involving compulsory labour as a punishment for having participated in strikes. The Committee previously noted that the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006, contains provisions concerning the resolution and settlement of labour disputes which could lead to the imposition of compulsory arbitration procedures, thus making strikes or other industrial action unlawful. Strikes may be declared unlawful, for example, where the minister or the labour officer refers a dispute to the Industrial Court (section 28(4)) or where the Industrial Court makes an award which has come into force (section 29(1)). The organization of strikes in these circumstances is punishable with imprisonment (involving compulsory prison labour) pursuant to sections 28(6) and 29(2) and (3) of the Act, and the Committee accordingly reminded the Government that such penalties were not in conformity with the Convention. In addition, the Committee noted that, under section 34(5) of the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006, the minister may refer disputes in essential services to the Industrial Court, thus making illegal any collective withdrawal of labour in such services, with violation of this prohibition being punishable with imprisonment (involving an obligation to perform labour) (section 33(1) and (2) of the Act). The Committee requested the Government to take the necessary measures to bring the abovementioned provisions of the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006 into conformity with the Convention.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it has procured a consultancy through the Ministry responsible for East African Affairs, together with the Law Reform Commission to review and harmonize all national laws. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to bring the abovementioned provisions of the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006, into conformity with the Convention, either by removing the penalties of imprisonment involving compulsory labour, or restricting their scope to essential services in the strict sense of the term (namely those services, the interruption of which would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole or part of the population), or to situations of acute national crisis. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on measures taken in this regard.