Family's Search for Kenneth Kakuru exposes plight of more than 90 missing Ugandans in Ukraine

What the report says

Nile Post reports that the disappearance of Kenneth Kakuru, a Ugandan husband and father, has drawn attention to allegations that more than 90 Ugandans were taken to Russia after being promised well-paid civilian work, then sent to fight in Ukraine. Kakuru’s wife, Anthens Ankunda, said she last heard from him in February, when he told her he expected to be deployed to the frontline the next day. His family says it has received no money through the ATM card he left behind, worsening hardship at home.

Kakuru’s twin brother, Innocent Kato, told Nile Post that more than 100 Ugandans were recruited by a Russian man identified only as Dimitri, with promises of jobs as drivers and security guards. Kato alleged that after an initial group was stopped at Entebbe International Airport, later recruits were routed through neighbouring countries, including South Sudan, before travelling onward to Turkey and Moscow. He said Kakuru’s group was made to sign Russian-language contracts, trained militarily and deployed, while the promised $6,000 monthly pay did not come through.

Uganda’s ambassador to Russia, Moses Kizige, acknowledged Ugandans were in Russia but said the embassy could not intervene because they had signed contracts with private security firms. Kato disputed that position, saying the contracts were signed under pressure after the recruits arrived.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has now ordered Uganda’s embassy in Moscow to investigate. Nile Post reports that Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire wrote to the mission after meeting relatives, directing it to examine claims of trafficking, recruitment by people named Dimitri, Esther and Anna, alleged payments collected from victims, and complaints about embassy handling of Ugandans seeking to return.