Hoima Sugar Limited has come under spotlight for allegedly employing underage children as sugarcane cutters at their 12 acre square mile plantation at in Iswaza Village in Hoima district.
At least eleven from Pabwo parish, Bungatira Sub County in Gulu district were on Saturday found in the farm by Gulu District authorities.
The plight of the children came to the attention of their parents and the Gulu district leadership after three of the children escaped from the farm back to their homes in Gulu.
Consequently, Gulu district Chairman Ojara Martin Mapenduzi paid a visit in the farm with one of the parent of the children who had escaped from Hoima Sugar works.
In interviews with Acholi Times, the eleven boys said they are aged between 13-17. They said they were recruited and promised 5,000 shillings per day by one Stephen Komakech.
Komakech could not be reached for comment but Denis Ongom, the Personnel Manager of Hoima sugar Works Company said Komakech had been contracted by the sugar company to supply labour to the farm. Ongom denied that his company is employing children to work under difficult conditions it is against company policy to employ children as labourers.
In an interview at the farm, a boy who said he is 14 told Acholi Times he was transported from Gulu to Hoima district on December 19, 2015 to work at Kaboya farm, one of the sugar plantations belonging to Hoima Sugar Works
The boy added that since December last year, he has been employed to cut 100 bundles of canes at 6,000 shillings. According to the boy, out of the money earned, 1,000 shillings is deducted for feeding and another 5,000 for soap.
Another underage boy who said he is 17 complained of poor working condition.
The boy said they always start working at 6am until 7 pm every day yet they are fed on beans and posho which he said are of poor quality.
The eleven children are said to be part of 69 labourers recruited from the districts of Gulu, Pader and Agago.
Some of the recently recruited workers who spoke on condition of anonymity said there were promised 17,000 shillings per day coupled with free accommodation and feeding.
Already 13 of the over 60 youth said to have been recruited from the Acholi sub region have abandoned work citing poor payments, lack of housing and sanitation.
George Ocaya, one of the parents whose child was working at the factory said the children were sleeping in a house infested with jiggers, lice and flees. Ochaya claimed he did not know where his child was until he learned he was employed as a labourer at a sugar plantation.
Denis Ongom, the Personnel Manager of Hoima sugar Works Company said none of the 500 employees at the farm is below 18.
On Saturday Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Gulu district Chairman filled a case against Stephen Komakech for recruiting children as labourers.
Mapenduzi said exploitation of is against the labour laws.
A total of 68 youth at the farm expressed eagerness to return to their home district saying they see no reason continue working such conditions in the farm.
Nine of the children of the children were on Sunday morning returned to Gulu from Hoima by Mapenduzi. The children were all returned to their villages in Bugantira Sub County in Gulu district.