News Analysis: “Life Before Profits” – Advocates Push for Human Rights in Uganda’s Investment Schemes

Kampala – The Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) is leading a campaign to protect the living rights of vulnerable groups, particularly women and workers in large-scale agricultural investments such as palm oil plantations and sugarcane schemes. Partnering with civil society organizations, CEFROHT is demanding justice for those facing exploitation in these sectors.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has long been viewed as a catalyst for economic growth, promising increased productivity, job creation, and development. However, without balanced policies safeguarding both investor interests and citizens’ rights, these investments often fail to deliver equitable benefits.

Power Imbalance in Investment Policymaking

Investment policies in Uganda are typically shaped by a narrow circle of government agencies, influenced by powerful entities such as multinational corporations, international financial institutions, and foreign governments. Meanwhile, the most affected stakeholders—workers, farmers, and local communities—are rarely consulted.

This exclusion has dire consequences. Investment frameworks, often rooted in Structural Adjustment Program-era principles of privatization and deregulation, prioritize investor protections over human rights. As a result, laborers endure harsh conditions, including:

• Poverty wages as low as UGX 50,000 per month

• Extreme workloads, with some carrying up to 1,200 kg daily

• No maternity or annual leave

• Exposure to hazardous chemicals without protective gear

• Mass evictions to make way for agribusinesses

Investment Laws vs. Human Rights

Uganda’s investment treaties and laws frequently restrict the government’s ability to regulate corporate conduct, creating a “regulatory chill” that discourages enforcement of labor and environmental protections. Principle 9 of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) urges states to preserve policy space for human rights obligations—a mandate often overlooked in Uganda’s pursuit of investment.

Reports by Witness Radio reveal alarming abuses, including:

• A Kiryandongo company blocking community access to a vital borehole, affecting over 150 families.

• 35,000 people filing emergency petitions against violent evictions during the COVID-19 lockdown.

• Systematic intimidation, illegal arrests, and destruction of property by corporate actors.

Call for Reform

To realign investment policies with human rights, advocates demand:

1. Removal of harmful clauses in Uganda’s Investment Code Act (2019) that favor corporations over citizens.

2. Stronger safeguards ensuring businesses respect labor and environmental rights.

3. Inclusive policymaking, with affected communities at the decision-making table.

In a recent National Televised Conference, CEFROHT, alongside SEATINI Uganda, the Uganda Consortium for Corporate Accountability (UCCA), and Platform for Labour Action (PLA), emphasized the urgent need to reform Uganda’s investment framework under the theme: “Harnessing Uganda’s Investment Laws to Prevent Business-Related Human Rights Violations.”

As Uganda continues to attract large-scale investments, the question remains: Will profits continue to outweigh people’s basic rights? Advocates argue that without systemic change, economic growth will come at an unbearable human cost.