Parliament is seeking answers from the government over 121 Ugandans reportedly recruited into the Russian military, amid concerns that some were deployed to fight in the war against Ukraine, while others are reported dead, held as prisoners of war or receiving treatment in Russian hospitals.
Rukiga County MP Patrick Katabaazi Kiconco tabled a list of the 121 Ugandans in Parliament, calling for investigations into how they travelled to Russia and the circumstances under which they allegedly ended up in military service.
Katabaazi also presented a list of 48 Ugandans reportedly killed on the Russia-Ukraine frontline whose deaths are yet to be verified, three Ugandans said to be held as prisoners of war in Ukraine and seven others reportedly receiving treatment in Russian hospitals.
The documents included appeals from families asking the government to establish the whereabouts and safety of their relatives.
One of the cases raised concerns a Ugandan identified as Akantorana, who was reportedly taken to Balashikha, Russia, where he was allegedly forced to sign a military contract.
He was subsequently deployed to the frontline in Ukraine, from where he reportedly escaped from a bunker and surrendered to Ukrainian troops.
The circumstances surrounding his recruitment and deployment have not been independently established.
The matter was raised in Parliament amid growing concerns that some Ugandans seeking employment abroad may have been misled by promises of well-paying civilian jobs before allegedly finding themselves in military service.
“I have received a report of one of my electorate who was deceived to leave this country with promises of a good job, only to end up at the war front in Ukraine under the Russian army,” Katabaazi told Parliament, according to a report by Nile Post.
The legislator called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the recruitment networks and explain what measures the government was taking to protect Ugandans seeking jobs overseas.
“Government must investigate how Ugandans are being wooed to join the Russian army. Our young people are being trafficked and finding themselves on the war front in Ukraine,” he said.
Second Deputy Prime Minister Crispus Kiyonga committed the government to presenting a report to Parliament on the matter, including the status of the affected citizens and steps being taken to assist them.
Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth directed the government to provide a comprehensive account of the affected Ugandans and the measures being taken to establish their whereabouts and welfare.
The House also debated how the individuals should be described in parliamentary records, with the Speaker directing that they be referred to as having travelled to Russia under unclear circumstances after concerns were raised over the use of the term “duress”, which implies coercion.
The reported cases have raised questions about the role of overseas recruitment agents, the verification of job offers and the protection available to Ugandans travelling abroad for employment.
The government’s response is expected to clarify how the 121 Ugandans travelled to Russia, whether they were misled or coerced into military service, and what assistance can be provided to those who remain in the conflict zone or are being treated in hospitals.
The reported deaths of 48 Ugandans remain unverified, while the identities and circumstances of the three reported prisoners of war and seven hospitalised citizens require further confirmation.
The affected families are awaiting official information about their relatives’ status and possible assistance to bring them home.
