KAMPALA, Uganda — The Ugandan government has launched an emergency voluntary repatriation program for its citizens trapped in South Africa, following a terrifying surge in anti-migrant violence and coordinated protests that have put foreign nationals in direct danger.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune confirmed the high-stakes evacuation on Sunday, June 28, 2026, revealing that the operation is being executed under a direct order from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
So far, 746 Ugandans have rushed to register for emergency assistance. The government has mobilized national carrier Uganda Airlines to operate a series of urgent charter flights to airlift its citizens back to Kampala.
Deadly Unrest Triggers Inaction Fears
The emergency intervention follows harrowing reports of targeted vigilante violence against African migrants. Tragically, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that one Ugandan national has already been killed in KwaZulu-Natal province. The government has expressed its condolences to the family and is currently handling the repatriation of the victim’s remains.
“Uganda remains in close contact with the South African government to ensure the safety and dignity of all Ugandans who choose to remain,” Minister Kasolo Kyeyune stated during a press briefing, attempting to balance diplomatic decorum with an active humanitarian crisis.
The June 30 Deadline: A Ticking Clock
This precautionary evacuation mirrors desperate measures being taken by several other African nations. Tension has reached a boiling point across South Africa as radical vigilante groups, including the organizers behind the aggressive “March and March” movement, have issued a hard June 30 deadline demanding all undocumented migrants leave the country or face consequences.
With the deadline landing this Tuesday, fears of widespread, coordinated violence have pushed foreign embassies into overdrive. Heavy police forces have been deployed across major South African metros, but many fear local authorities will be overwhelmed or slow to protect foreign townships.
Logistics of the Evacuation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in tandem with the Ministry of Works and Transport, is fully funding the Uganda Airlines charter flights. The multi-step evacuation protocol involves:
* Provincial Registration: Citizens are registering via online portals and local community leaders.
* Safe Zones: Nationals are being directed to designated, secure assembly points away from high-risk flashpoints.
* Emergency Documentation: The Ugandan High Commission in Pretoria is fast-tracking emergency travel certificates for those whose passports were lost or destroyed in recent raids.
The Structural Scapegoat
South Africa has suffered from recurring, cyclical waves of deadly xenophobic violence for nearly two decades. Local vigilante factions routinely scapegoat foreign African nationals for the country’s crushing unemployment rates, soaring crime statistics, and systemic public service delivery failures.
Kampala officials emphasized that while they are moving decisively to protect Ugandan lives, they are working closely with South African immtion authorities to avooria, maintaining that bilateral ties between the two nations remain intact.
Uganda’s High Commission has issued an urgent directive to all nationals currently in South Africa to register immediately to recei real-time security alerts and flight tracking schedules.
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