Nemes Tarimo's family in Tanzania warned him against agreeing to fight with Russian forces in Ukraine, but the 33-year-old had a big incentive to sign up.

It is now three weeks since his relatives learnt of the news that confirmed their worst fears. He had died in combat.

Everyone at the family home in the city of Dar es Salaam looks exhausted as they wait for news about when his body might come back.

The waiting is taking its toll.

There are about 15 people in the compound, and relatives are coming in and out all day wanting to hear if there are any updates.

One says they last heard from him in October when he had said he had agreed to sign up with the Russian mercenary group Wagner.

"Nemes informed me and some other family members about joining Wagner, and we advised him not to," the family member, who did not want to give their name, tells the BBC.

But for the young man, who relatives describe as polite, God-fearing and supportive, there was an offer that was hard to resist.

The family says that Tarimo, who had ambitions to be an MP with the opposition Chadema party, had been in Moscow as an ICT master's student at the Russian Technological University. But he was then imprisoned some time after January 2021 for what were described as drugs-related offences.

Last year, he was enticed with a deal: sign up and be pardoned or stay in prison.

"He said he would join to free himself," the relative says.




This case echoes that of 23-year-old Zambian student Lemekhani Nyirenda, who had also been in prison in Russia and died last year fighting with Wagner.

Zambian Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo told parliament that he had been informed about how prisoners could be pardoned if they agreed to fight.

Last September, Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin was seen in leaked footage outlining the rules of fighting, such as no deserting or sexual contact with Ukrainian women, and then giving the prisoners five minutes to decide if they want to sign up.

Tarimo's family has learnt that he died at the end of October while on a combat mission in Ukraine with Wagner.

"We last communicated with him on 17 October, when he was already a member of Wagner.

"We then got information in December from his friends over his death," which according to media reports, was a result of Ukrainian artillery fire.

The Federal News Agency, a Russian broadcaster used by Mr Prigozhin to boost his group's reputation, has published a video of what it said was Tarimo's memorial service in a chapel in the town of Goryachiy Klyuch. It reported that he had died on 24 October near Bakhmut, the scene of intense fighting in recent months.

Russia's state-owned domestic news agency, Ria Novosti, interviewed someone who said he had fought alongside Tarimo. He said the Tanzanian had died while trying to help a wounded soldier.

The Federal News Agency says that Tarimo was awarded a posthumous medal "for courage" by the Wagner Group.

Relatives have been in touch with the embassy in Moscow, but the Tanzanian government, which has remained neutral on the conflict in Ukraine, has yet to publicly comment on the student's death.

The family want to bury Tarimo in their village in the Southern Highlands region, but for now they are just left waiting.

"We don't want to believe that he is gone until we receive the body," one relative says.

His aunt, Roida Sambulika, adds: "We are sad to lose our son. We still don't know when the body will arrive, but we have been ready for a week now to receive it and lay him in his eternal home."


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-64338677.amp

Dying in another man’s war. Na him know.

He swallowed the Russian propaganda and promptly became a cannon fodder.

I wish these putards on NL will follow this guy path, instead of bombarding us with propaganda here

The guy gamble with his life which he Lost but his death gain popularity throughout the world

Sad way to die

Most of you commenting didn't read the full article.

He was imprisoned for drug related charges and then was offered a deal.

Fight and be pardoned or remain in prison.

If you were in his position what will you chose?

The article didn't specify how long his prison sentence was, but we can only guess it must have been more than a decade at the very least.

So let's talk about the ethics of conscripting prisoners.

Remind of thousand of Africans that fought for British in WW1 and WW2, thousands of those WW1 Africans fighters were forced yet the British government doesn’t even remember them.

Just like Libya war, many Nigerians guys fought for Gadaffi alongside many Niger Rep in fact all Western Africa fought for Gadaffi.
Libya war was tagged Western Africa vs Arabs

castro2468:
I wish these putards on NL will follow this guy path, instead of bombarding us with propaganda here

They are Cowards.

opamoses1:

They are Cowards.

Sorry, the situation is hopeless for Ukraine. Try to cope further.

atmy1:


Sorry, the situation is hopeless for Ukraine. Try to cope further.

Yawwwns.

opamoses1:

Yawwwns.

Check out the date on your post. that was the last time pro-Ukrainians had anything to smile about. It's been hell for them on all fronts. Russia has taken more than 12 towns in the new Zaporizhe offensive. Backmut is being surrounded. Even Germany, sensing they would lose, has refused to send their tanks.

atmy1:


Check out the date on your post. that was the last time pro-Ukrainians had anything to smile about. It's been hell for them on all fronts. Russia has taken more than 12 towns in the new Zaporizhe offensive. Backmut is being surrounded. Even Germany, sensing they would lose, has refused to send their tanks.

They're grasping at straws, recycling old propaganda and fabricating weaker fairy tales.

BreonnaTaylor:

They're grasping at straws, recycling old propaganda and fabricating weaker fairy tales.

Well, they still have the media on their side.

atmy1:


Check out the date on your post. that was the last time pro-Ukrainians had anything to smile about. It's been hell for them on all fronts. Russia has taken more than 12 towns in the new Zaporizhe offensive. Backmut is being surrounded. Even Germany, sensing they would lose, has refused to send their tanks.

The date is less than a month old. So what's your point. I don't even care if the stupid Russians and stupid Ukrainians finish themselves off . It's those low IQ black African monkeys signing up to fight for Russia I pity. Darwin's theory is working as it should. Not all black Africans evolved fully.

What are you waiting for as well. Should you not be on your way to Russia instead of making mouth all over Nairaland foreign section. Putin has promised foreign nationals also like you citizenship.

Anyway. War is one year old
(52 weeks) in less than a month.

These are not going to be the last of stupid Africans we have seen.

Pot calling kettle black.
stupid

He is not a coward after all

"They (Russians)didn’t want to kill anyone," - Ukrainian president's former top aide, Arestovich said after he was kicked out for telling the truth.

He said that the Russian SMO was conceived as a bloodless mission and should have passed without casualties.

"They tried to wage a smart war... Such an elegant, beautiful, lightning-fast special operation, where polite people, without causing any damage to either a kitten or a child, eliminated the few who resisted.

And they didn’t even eliminate them, but offered to surrender, switch sides, understand and etc. They didn't want to kill anyone. Just sign the renunciation." said Arestovich.

atmy1:
"They (Russians)didn’t want to kill anyone," - Ukrainian president's former top aide, Arestovich said after he was kicked out for telling the truth.

He said that the Russian SMO was conceived as a bloodless mission and should have passed without casualties.

"They tried to wage a smart war... Such an elegant, beautiful, lightning-fast special operation, where polite people, without causing any damage to either a kitten or a child, eliminated the few who resisted.

And they didn’t even eliminate them, but offered to surrender, switch sides, understand and etc. They didn't want to kill anyone. Just sign the renunciation." said Arestovich.

Unfortunately, this was Russia's mistake at the beginning. You don't have mercy on someone that already hates you. They need to learn from the Americans and the Israelis. But I think this may turn out to even be a better strategy in the long run because Russia is gradually winning the PR war too. The way things are going, Zelensky may be overthrown by Ukrainians before Russia even gets to him.

opamoses1:
These are not going to be the last of stupid Africans we have seen.

The news have started picking up on African cannon fodders. People wey never chop bellefull are traveling to Russia to fight another man's war.

A little research shows that there have been African cannon fodders from way back.

More reactions

Ibrahimcoomasie:

The news have started picking up on African cannon fodders. People wey never chop bellefull are traveling to Russia to fight another man's war.

A little research shows that there have been African cannon fodders from way back.

The best thing is for Africans to stay away from either sides in this war. You can cheer whomever you support from afar and make any alliance that suits your best interest.

Neither Russia nor the West will ultimately benefit us. I just simply prefer Russia for security and hate western hypocrisy. There is no point dying for what doesn't concern you.