Government Silence Worsens Pain of Kenyans Caught in Russia–Ukraine War

Kenyan families are urgently seeking answers as relatives who were promised jobs abroad have instead been conscripted into Russia's war in Ukraine, with many losing contact and fearing for their safety.

A growing number of Kenyan families are in distress after relatives, initially recruited for work in sectors such as transport, hospitality, and security, were unexpectedly forced into military service. These individuals, many of them young men, left Kenya with hopes of stable employment, only to be thrust into the frontlines with little to no training. Communication has often stopped once they were deployed, leaving families in a state of uncertainty.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has urged citizens to verify foreign job opportunities through official channels to avoid falling victim to rogue agents and trafficking networks. However, families already affected by the situation say these warnings come too late, focusing on prevention rather than addressing the immediate plight of those trapped in the conflict.

In Nairobi, the families of 14 missing men recently gathered at Jevanjee Gardens to pray for their loved ones. These families describe a dire situation, with recruits sent to battle zones, their phones taken from them, and no word on their wellbeing. “We don’t know if he is alive or dead. That uncertainty is killing us,” said Esther Njenga, whose nephew went missing after being deployed in November.

The government claims that 27 Kenyans have been rescued from the conflict, but families and community groups argue that the true number of those caught up in the war may be much higher, with some estimates suggesting several hundred. One father, Peter Kariuki, reported that his son had stated that over 500 Kenyans are fighting for Russia, highlighting the scale of the recruitment.

Civil society organisations and opposition figures are demanding greater transparency from the government, urging embassies in Nairobi and Moscow to release accurate figures on the number of Kenyans who have travelled to Russia in recent months. Hussein Khalid of Vocal Africa has argued that the lack of clear data has only worsened the distress of affected families and undermined public trust in government efforts.