Reimagining Decent Work in Uganda’s Digital Economy

Breakfast Dialogue Meeting hosted by Pollicy and Partners at Four Points by Sheraton, Kampala

Authors: Wanjiku Maina and Angela Efia Dzidzornu, Pollicy

Since 2015, Uganda has seen a steady rise in digital labor platforms with around 18 still active as of 2024. However, the ride hailing drivers, delivery workers, content moderators and freelancers powering this country’s digital economy continue to face precarious working conditions characterised by low wages, high risks and limited access to social protection.

Ahead of the 113th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Pollicy in partnership with Voices for Labour and Barefoot Law hosted a breakfast meeting in May 2025 with Uganda’s delegation to the ILC to equip them with evidence-based insights in tandem with global discussions on the development of the first-ever labour standard for decent work in the platform economy.

The breakfast meeting was a timely and strategic convening that brought together Uganda’s delegation to the ILC alongside a diverse range of voices from the country’s digital labour space including; legal minds, labour advocates, policymakers and union leaders. Together they engaged in meaningful dialogue to unpack the challenges facing the gig economy, and advocate for the protection of platform workers fundamental rights.

Key reflections from the discussions

A recurring theme throughout the meeting was the urgent need for stronger, clearer legal protections for platform workers in Uganda. Existing frameworks fall short in addressing the unique conditions of platform work leaving many workers without access to fair pay, safety standards, or health care. Participants stressed that relying solely on broad legislative reforms through traditional parliamentary processes could take years, a delay workers cannot afford. Instead, there was a strong call for the development of targeted technical regulations that could be implemented more quickly to deliver immediate protections.

The urgent need for thorough documentation was strongly emphasized, with participants underscoring the importance of a comprehensive write-up to guide advocacy and align Uganda’s efforts with global international standards. This included leveraging the influence of global federations, such as Public Service International, Industrial Federations, and IEF, to drive policy reform. The proposals were anchored in ILO Conventions 87, 98, 100, and 155 which address workers’ rights, collective bargaining, and occupational health and safety.

Building Trade Union Capacity

The conversation also underscored the critical role of trade unions in advancing protection for platform workers. Although Uganda has over 50 registered unions, many are constrained by the limited resources, insufficient knowledge, and inadequate capacity to support workers in the platform economy effectively. It was noted that there is also widespread confusion among workers themselves about their eligibility for union membership, largely due to outdated definitions that exclude non-traditional forms of employment. There was a strong call for new legal frameworks tailored to platform work, acknowledging that current labor laws and social protection schemes exclude independent contractors.

Reiterating the need for collective action, one exciting moment was hearing how six rider associations came together to form a federation in the year 2025. With shared training and support, they’ve taken a major step toward collective action and demanding fair treatment. This collective move has created opportunities for shared training, mutual support, and coordinated advocacy which is a clear example of grassroots organizing in action.

Commitment to Legislative Action and Global Learnings

While there are ongoing efforts to include platform work within forthcoming legislation, such as the Artificial Intelligence Bill 2025, the emphasis was that this alone is not sufficient. They echoed that the unique status of platform workers, who are neither fully employees nor independent contractors, necessitates the creation of a new legal category that accurately reflects their specific needs and realities. A reform to the Labour Act was proposed, as well as the introduction of new, targeted laws designed to recognise and protect platform workers.

While no one-size-fits-all solution exists, participants emphasized that Uganda must begin adapting global lessons to fit its own national context, ensuring that as the platform economy grows, workers are not left behind.

Awareness and Technical Barriers

In terms of next steps, one of the biggest gaps identified is the lack of awareness as well as lack of digital and legal literacy around how platform work actually operates. Many decision-makers still don’t fully grasp the day-to-day realities of digital labour, and on the other hand many platform workers are unskilled in navigating apps, contracts, resolving disputes and delivering services. It was widely agreed that capacity-building initiatives in these areas could significantly improve workers’ ability to protect themselves.

To bridge this gap, participants proposed bringing more workers and policymakers into shared spaces to learn, and to centre real stories that illustrate both the challenges and the opportunities within the platform economy.

The importance of broadening the definition of who qualifies as a platform worker as the digital workforce in Uganda continues to grow was emphasized. It was agreed that any future policies must take this full range into account to ensure no one is left behind .

Pollicy presented two key knowledge tools from our ongoing work on the digital platform economy — the Fair Digital Kazi Policy Brief, which captures the lived experiences of Uganda’s platform workers and offers actionable policy recommendations, and the Fair Digital Kazi Manifesto, a Pan-African framework outlining the aspirations and demands of digital platform workers across the continent, both designed to inform and inspire action toward a more equitable digital economy.

Crucially, one thing was made clear: the rise of platform work is reshaping Uganda’s digital labour landscape, and the law must keep up. As more people turn to digital platforms for income, the risks of being unprotected, underpaid, and unheard are growing, but so is the momentum we’re building. Workers are organising, alliances are forming, and there’s a growing consensus that change is both necessary and possible.