A Ugandan employer has lauded Kenyan workers in the country for their strong work ethic, which is often seen as being more reliable and hardworking than their counterparts.
The investor identified as Godfrey Kutessa recounted how his fellow Ugandan failed when he was offered an opportunity that was immediately taken up by a Kenyan counterpart.
Kutessa claimed that Kenyans have a proven track record of hard work, and going the extra mile, which is a major advantage for businesses that need to communicate with clients or partners in an effective way.
"I called a young Ugandan man yesterday to give him a solar engineering job for our new site. He then asked me where the site was, to which I told him that it was in Kalangala.
"To my shock, he told me that Kalangala was too far and switched off the phone on me. Five minutes later, I called a Kenyan who is based here but does the same job," Kutessa explained.
Kutessa was then met with a pleasant surprise from the Kenyan professional who not only returned calls but also reminded the business owner of their meeting.
"It was within ten minutes that he’d accepted to do the job and asked to come do a site visit. Today at 12pm, without any reminder from my end, he called me while at Nakiwogo landing site ready to board for Kalangala," Kutessa noted.
The businessman has questioned whether the government is to blame for the high employment rate in Uganda, noting that a number of young Ugandans have not mastered the soft skills needed for the job market.
"Is Museveni really the cause of our unemployment Oba our attitude towards work is also locking us away from opportunities. The young man was recommended by a good friend," Kutessa explained.
The preference for Kenyans in the Ugandan job market has been a source of debate among citizens of both countries, with many Ugandans praising their East African counterparts for diligence.
" As a citizenry, we also share blame for the circumstances we find ourselves in. When he is out of work, will this same client call him?," a Ugandan by the name Julius Nkomaho posed.
Some Ugandan investors have stated that Kenyans are often preferred for employment in Uganda because of their education, work ethic, language skills, and cost.
They have also noted that Kenyans living and working in Uganda are more likely to be entrepreneurial and innovative.
"When I say most Ugandans don't know what they want, I'm abused always. One day someone wanted me to design for him a website but I was out of the country. I recommended someone who was in Mbarara and couldn't travel to Kampala saying it's far.
"I called a Kenyan whom I worked with somewhere and he was in Mbale. That day he was on the bus to Kampala to negotiate the deal and he got the job. I gave up on some Ugandans," a Ugandan by the name of Easton Ndyabasa claimed.
