Uganda has been confronted with heartbreaking news after diplomatic correspondence from Russia confirmed that 11 Ugandan citizens have died and another 16 are missing and presumed dead after reportedly joining the Russian military and becoming involved in the war in Ukraine. The victims are among Ugandans who travelled abroad in search of better-paying jobs but allegedly found themselves caught up in a deadly military conflict. The revelations have left families grieving, others desperately searching for their loved ones, and renewed public concern about the growing risks faced by Ugandans seeking employment opportunities outside the country.
The details are contained in a letter dated October 17, 2026, written by Uganda’s Ambassador to Russia, Moses Kizige, to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kampala. According to the correspondence, Russian authorities provided information about Ugandans who had died, disappeared, remained in military service or been discharged. The communication followed diplomatic efforts to establish the whereabouts of citizens whose families had spent months seeking answers. Although the report offers some clarity, important questions remain about the circumstances surrounding the deaths, the recovery of bodies and the fate of those who have disappeared.
The 11 Ugandans confirmed dead are Ronald Bugiri, John Male, Francis Ngabirano, Innocent Agaba, Levi Kasule, Bigirwa Mugisa, Richard Twine, Junior Moses Mawejje, Pius Byamugisha, David Buyondo and Godfrey Kamugira. However, the diplomatic correspondence does not specify when or where each person died, nor does it establish whether their remains have been recovered. For the bereaved families, the confirmation brings an end to some of the uncertainty surrounding their relatives but opens another painful chapter involving burial arrangements, possible repatriation and the need to understand what happened to their loved ones.
The situation is equally distressing for the families of the 16 Ugandans listed as missing and presumed dead. They are Maxima Tindyebwa, Darius Twebaze, Alex Katurebe, Miro Mukasa, Eric Kwesiga, Kosiaa Kusima, Johnson Kakuru, Edwin Musasizi, Vicent Musisi, Nelson Mugyenyi, Alex Akanshabira, David Kiwanuka Ssekisibo, Henry Rwakiziri Bamutina, Stephen Muhame, William Kyoffa and Nelson Lukwita. Russian authorities reportedly believe they have died, but their bodies have not been found, and they have not been identified as prisoners of war. Until further evidence becomes available, their families remain caught between devastating reports and the hope of receiving definitive answers.
One of the cases that has drawn particular attention is that of William Kyoffa, whose wife, Jennifer Namuli, previously appealed to the Ugandan government to help trace him. According to earlier reports, Kyoffa left Uganda towards the end of 2025 and later informed his family that he had been issued a gun and was being taken to the frontline in the Donbas region of Ukraine. His last reported communication with his family was on February 4, 2026. Since then, his relatives have faced the painful uncertainty of not knowing whether he is alive, injured, captured or dead. His case reflects the anguish experienced by families who lose contact with relatives working in conflict zones far from home.
The diplomatic correspondence also identifies five Ugandans who reportedly remain in the Russian military: Rogers Mwebaze, Evarist Barigye, Honest Mugabi, Eric Kisakye and Ronald Samula Tenywa. Their departure from military service is expected to depend on the terms of their contracts. Another Ugandan, Robert Tumwebaze, was reportedly discharged from the Russian armed forces but subsequently disappeared after being transferred from a military hospital in Nizhny Novgorod. His whereabouts remained unknown at the time of the correspondence, raising further concerns about the challenges involved in tracking Ugandans who become separated from their families while serving in a foreign military.
Behind the growing tragedy are allegations that some Ugandans were lured abroad with promises of civilian employment, including work as security guards and drivers, only to discover that they were expected to join the military. Some reportedly faced military contracts, training and deployment to the battlefield after arriving in Russia. Ambassador Kizige said the embassy began pursuing the matter after receiving information from Innocent Kato, who was representing affected families. The embassy contacted Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August and received a response on October 8. The families are seeking accountability, information about recruitment arrangements, clarification over unpaid salaries and assistance in locating missing relatives and recovering the remains of those confirmed dead.
The revelations have renewed calls for the Ugandan government to strengthen diplomatic efforts, investigate alleged deceptive recruitment practices and protect citizens seeking work abroad. In February 2026, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem said Uganda lacked the capacity to repatriate the bodies of citizens who die overseas, highlighting the difficulties families may face when tragedy strikes in foreign countries. As the names of the dead become known, relatives of the missing continue to wait for answers that could bring them closure. The unfolding tragedy is a painful warning about the dangers of unverified overseas job offers and the devastating consequences that can follow when people searching for better lives find themselves drawn into war.
About the Author
