Kin of Kenyans trapped in Russia war front accuse State of neglect

Families of Kenyans recruited into the Russian army are living in distress as appeals for the repatriation of their relatives fail to bear fruit.

The families say their attempts to seek help have been met with silence and delays, worsening their suffering.

In a joint statement with Vocal Africa, they said their relatives were lured into a foreign war and have since been abandoned.

They decried that their loved ones were innocently seeking job opportunities abroad, only to be drawn into the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We have watched in disbelief as our sons, who were merely seeking opportunities, were placed in harm’s way, treated as expendable and left without protection. We have cried, appealed and demanded intervention,” said Bibiana Waithaka, whose son Charles Waithaka was reportedly killed in a landmine explosion in Russia.

This comes after Cabinet Secretary for Diaspora and Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi told Parliament that at least 16 Kenyans in Russia are unaccounted for.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations, Mudavadi said three deaths had been confirmed, 38 others were admitted to various Russian hospitals, and 165 were actively deployed in special military operations.

In total, he told the committee that about 252 Kenyans had been recruited into the army through rogue schemes. He added that 47 had been rescued and repatriated, while two were being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.

Edith Njeri said her 37-year-old relative, Simon Ndegwa, was admitted to the hospital after suffering head and limb injuries before returning to the battlefield.

“He sent a video message to his wife and then went back. After that, I have never heard from him. He lost everything, including his phone and passport,” she said.

As hopes of repatriation continue to fade, the families have called on the government and the international community to intervene and address the worsening distress and uncertainty surrounding their loved ones.

According to Peter Kamau, whose brother was reportedly killed on the frontline in Russia, families were given two options: to allow the burial of their relatives in Russia or cremation and repatriation of their ashes to Kenya.

“It is the fundamental duty of any government to protect its citizens both within its borders and beyond,” said Waithaka. “But when Kenyans were recruited into the Ukraine-Russia war, their government failed to act with urgency and accountability.”

The families also raised concerns over the possibility that those killed on the battlefield may have been buried in mass graves.

They lamented that their relatives were lured, deceived and ultimately abandoned in a foreign war.

“Now that Musalia Mudavadi is saying that our sons went illegally to work in the Russian military, I want to make it clear that they never applied for military jobs. Most went as drivers, cooks or watchmen. My son went to work as a driver,” said Njeri.

“Even more troubling is the reality that Kenya maintains diplomatic missions abroad, funded by taxpayers, yet this system has failed in its most critical test. What is the purpose of an embassy if it cannot safeguard its own citizens in times of danger?” she posed.

Njeri said Mudavadi’s recent visit to Moscow was a disappointment to the families, following his assertion that the government would not pay for repatriations.

“Please bring our sons back. You have the mandate. It is deeply disappointing that you went there only to disown them, yet you were our last hope,” she said.

Vocal Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid said Kenyans caught up in the war were facing inhumane treatment, coercion and serious human rights violations.

“Even more disturbing are credible reports that some of these Kenyans have been killed after refusing to be deployed to the frontlines of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war,” said Khalid.

He noted that of the more than 1,000 Kenyans reportedly recruited into the Russian army, at least 772 had signed formal contracts.