Family of Ugandan Killed in Ukraine War Struggles to Repatriate Body 2 Months Later

The family of the late Edison Kamwesigye, 46, is struggling to repatriate his body two months after he was killed on the frontline in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, where he had been fighting alongside Russian armed forces.

The family of the late Edison Kamwesigye, 46, is struggling to repatriate his body two months after he was killed on the frontline in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, where he had been fighting alongside Russian armed forces.

Kamwesigye, a son of John Mwesigwa Zaire, 70, and Apophia Akatukunda, 60, residents of Kibombo Village in Nyakeina Parish, Buyanja Sub-county, Rukungiri District, had been working as a law enforcement officer in Kampala Capital City.

In January 2026, he secured a deal to work as a private security guard in Russia. Having prior experience working as a private security guard in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kamwesigye traveled with his brother-in-law, Pius Byamugisha from Mitooma District, and another man only identified as Alex.

According to his father, Mwesigwa, Kamwesigye later informed him by phone that the job arrangement had changed upon arrival in Russia. Instead of private security work, they were subjected to intense military training.

After about two weeks, Kamwesigye again contacted the family, saying they had been deployed to the frontline in Ukraine to fight alongside Russian forces.

Mwesigwa says communication with both Kamwesigye and Byamugisha was lost shortly afterward. In February 2026, the family was shocked to see photos and travel documents circulating on social media reporting Kamwesigye’s death on the battlefield.

He adds that the family has since received no information about Byamugisha’s whereabouts, leaving them worried about his fate.

Mwesigwa explains that Kamwesigye had not disclosed details of the job arrangement while it was still being processed, only informing the family shortly before traveling to Russia.

Since learning of his death, the family has waited in vain for his body to be repatriated to Uganda for a decent burial. Mwesigwa says the family is now stuck and has no means of bringing his body back home.

He further reveals that despite the time Kamwesigye spent in Russia, the family has not received any payment to support his three children.

According to Mwesigwa, Kamwesigye signed a contract while in Russia, leaving the family unaware of his salary and the terms of employment.

Mwesigwa is now appealing to the Government of Uganda to intervene and facilitate the repatriation of his son’s body, rescue other Ugandans who may have been misled into similar arrangements, and engage the Russian government to ensure compensation for affected families.

He says Kamwesigye’s scenario should act as an eye opener to Ugandans, especially the youth, and stop seeking employment in war troubled countries.

Kamwesigye’s mother, Apophia Akatukunda, says the family is overwhelmed with grief and pain following the loss of her son.

She adds that the situation has been worsened by the prolonged delay in repatriating his body and the lack of information about her son-in-law.She appeals to the government to intervene and help bring back her son’s body for a dignified burial, as well as assist other Ugandans caught in similar circumstances.

Akatukunda says all the hopes she had in her son have now turned into grief and sorrow. She urged Ugandans to learn from the incident by conducting thorough research about recruitment companies before accepting jobs abroad.

She adds that the family cannot trace the company that facilitated Kamwesigye’s travel, making it impossible to seek accountability or assistance.

Efforts to obtain a comment from Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were unsuccessful as he did not answer phone calls.

However, in February 2026, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Okello Oryem, told journalists that the Ugandan government is unable to repatriate the bodies of citizens who die while engaged in such conflicts.

A report titled “The Business of Despair”, released on February 11, 2026, indicates that seven Ugandan nationals were recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, with two confirmed dead.

The report was authored by a Swiss non-governmental organization, INPACT.The conflict in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, when Russian forces invaded the country.

As of early 2026, the war has resulted in massive casualties, with total military losses exceeding 1.5 million. Estimates suggest that up to 325,000 Russian soldiers and 140,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, alongside more than 15,000 confirmed civilian deaths, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), an independent investigative organization, reports that at least 2,919 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 17,775 injured in 2025, mainly due to drone strikes and fighting in occupied areas.

The figures represent an increase from 2024. URN