On September 14, 2025, BBC News Africa released a harrowing investigative video titled Death in Dubai, which has sent shockwaves through Uganda. Stemming from an earlier tweet by BBC World Service on September 16, the documentary uncovers the tragic deaths of two Ugandan women, Monic Karungi (known as Mona Kizz) and Kayla Birungi, who fell from Dubai high-rises in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The investigation, part of the BBC Africa Eye series, reveals a darker reality behind the viral #DubaiPortaPotty trend, alleging that these women were lured to the UAE under false job promises, only to be forced into prostitution and trapped in debt by a man known as Charles Mwesigwa, alias “Abbey,” dubbed “The Untouchable.”
The 1-hour-1-minute film, available in English, Swahili, Hausa, and French, traces Monic’s final steps and exposes Abbey’s ongoing operations, even in the UK.This story, amplified by the podcast World of Secrets: Death in Dubai, has dominated Uganda’s social media, with citizens and leaders expressing outrage over the government’s apparent inaction.
Public Outcry on Twitter
The Twitter storm, ignited by BBC Africa’s tweet, reflects deep dissatisfaction.
Among others under #DubaiPortaPotty.
A Government Doing “Close to Nothing”
Ugandans are furious that, despite the BBC’s detailed exposé naming Charles Mwesigwa and tracing his operations, the government has offered little beyond vague promises. The investigation reveals Monic trusted a tribal compatriot, only to be ensnared in Abbey’s debt trap, with no escape route. Kayla’s similar fate, with her body repatriated while Monic’s remains lie in Dubai’s “The Unknown” cemetery, underscores a lack of consular support.
Citizens demand:
- Policy Overhaul: Stricter migrant worker protections and mental health resources.
- Accountability: Prosecution of traffickers like Abbey and investigation into embassy failures, as well as a complete overhaul of NIRA staff or an Investigation into NIRA.
- Support: Legal aid and repatriation funds for stranded Ugandans.
The BBC’s investigation has not only mourned Monic and Kayla but also ignited a justice movement. With Abbey’s confrontation captured on film and his UK operations exposed, the pressure mounts. Will Uganda’s government rise to the occasion, or will it continue doing “close to nothing” as its women suffer? The nation watches, and whether this outrage translates into tangible change remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Uganda’s silence on these murky deaths is no longer an option.
