Thousands of Ugandan security gaurds sue Pentagon contractors for unpaid work in Iraq, Afghanistan

Ugandan guards who worked for US security firms to protect the American government’s buildings, bases and facilities in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan are set to sue their employers over unpaid wages and “breached” contracts.

Approximately 130,000 former Ugandan guards, who served with various US security firms during the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2005 to 2022, are initiating lawsuits against these companies for failing to compensate them for their work and neglecting to provide reparations for severe injuries, as reported by Semafor on February 27.

The companies named in the lawsuits include Explosives Ordnance Disposal Technology (EODT), Special Operations Consulting (SOC), Virginia-based Constellis, Sabre International Security, and others, all of which operated under contracts with the US Department of Defense (DOD).

The Special Returnees Association (SRA), self-identified as “a collective of Ugandan individuals who undertook peacekeeping missions in the Middle East,” declared on February 24 their intention to seek compensation from these contractors. In a statement, they asserted, “We are now seeking remuneration for the wages owed to us for the services we provided to the United States Government in Iraq under the DOD contracts.”

“This article clearly prohibits any wage deductions for the purpose of securing or maintaining employment,” they added, highlighting their rights. The organization also claimed that its members endured human rights violations, including rape and exploitation, under the supervision of the US during their deployments in conflict zones.

We are now seeking compensation for the wages owed to us for the services we offered to the 
United States Government in Iraq under the DOD contracts. The deductions made from our wages 
were illegal, unfounded in law, and unjust ..... pic.twitter.com/9MCDRSZmIK

— sra_uganda_ltd (@SRA_UGANDALTD) February 24, 2024

According to the SRA, the guards were provided letters of authorization by the US Department of State outlining their roles in Iraq and Afghanistan, promising annual payments ranging from $59,000 to $80,000. However, Semafor's report indicates that upon arriving at their assigned stations, their annual wages were reduced to $4,800 and $12,000 under new contracts.

Before deployment to Iraq, the Ugandan guards were required to undergo interviews with US officials at the embassy in Kampala and receive training in Jordan, as reported by The Citizen on November 1, 2020.

Ugandan Workers’ TV disclosed on January 15 that the Ugandan guards are demanding $10 billion in compensation. In 2022, the SRA appealed to the US government for intervention to assist them in reclaiming their rightful payments, according to the Nile Post.

In 2010, the Ugandan newspaper Monitor reported that Ugandan companies such as Dreshak Security Solutions Limited, Saracen, and Askar Security were responsible for deploying guards to these US firms.