First Batch of 273 Ugandans Evacuated from South Africa Arrives Home

The first batch of 273 Ugandan nationals fleeing targeted xenophobic tensions and anti-migrant violence in South Africa arrived safely at Entebbe International Airport on Friday, July 3, 2026.

The returning citizens were officially received at the airport by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo. The 273 evacuees arrived aboard a state-funded flight alongside Uganda’s Ambassador to South Africa, Paul Amoru, who traveled with the compatriots to ensure their smooth repatriation and transition back home.

The arrival marks the first successful milestone in a large-scale emergency evacuation exercise ordered late last month by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The directive was issued following a severe surge in insecurity, intimidation, and physical attacks orchestrated by localized vigilante groups targeting foreign nationals in various South African provinces.  

The government’s intervention was prompted by an alarming deterioration of security for the Ugandan diaspora in South Africa. Tensions reached a boiling point after local anti-migrant groups reportedly issued a strict June 30 deadline demanding that foreign nationals vacate several residential and commercial areas, causing widespread panic.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the security crisis tragically claimed the life of one Ugandan national, who was killed during an attack in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. In response to the fatal incident and mounting threats, President Museveni ordered immediate diplomatic and logistical arrangements to safely remove vulnerable citizens from danger.  

ALSO READ:

• Court Martial Convicts Wakiso Taxi Driver Over UPDF Attire
• Court Martial Sentences Two State Informers to Death
• Renegade Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu Apprehended in Soroti City Over Subversive Activities
• Abraham Luzzi Slasts UEDCL After Blackout Interrupts Birthday Party
• Celebrated Comedian Kapere Passes Away

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, collaborating closely with the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Works and Transport, established emergency registration centers across South African provinces.

According to official diplomatic records, over 1,000 Ugandan nationals eventually registered for the voluntary repatriation exercise, with numbers steadily rising as regional instability persists. To facilitate the massive logistical operation, the government chartered special flights through the national carrier, Uganda Airlines.  

Speaking at Entebbe International Airport shortly after the aircraft touched down, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo commended the high level of professionalism and coordination exhibited by the Ugandan embassy staff in Pretoria and partnering state agencies. He noted that the seamless execution of this first phase of the operation under extreme pressure was a testament to the dedication of Uganda’s foreign service personnel.

Minister Kasolo emphasized that the arrival of these 273 citizens is only the beginning of a broader, structured humanitarian intervention. He reassured families of those still trapped or waiting in designated assembly points across South Africa that the evacuation exercise remains fully active.

The minister stated that the government remains unyielding in its constitutional mandate to safeguard the lives and well-being of its citizens, both domestically and abroad. He added that the state would continue to deploy necessary resources tirelessly until every registered Ugandan wishing to return home is safely repatriated. Concurrently, Ugandan diplomatic channels remain engaged with South African authorities to secure protection for the properties and lives of Ugandan nationals who have chosen to remain behind.