NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 19 – Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has sharply criticized the Government over reports that Kenyan youth have been recruited and deployed to the Russia-Ukraine conflict , calling the situation a grave failure of duty and demanding their immediate return.
In a statement, Muturi questioned whether the Government must wait until we raise an outcry while our children are dying in a foreign war,expressing alarm at what he described as official inaction.
“Last week, I raised grave concerns about credible reports that Kenyan youth had been recruited and deployed to the Russia–Ukraine conflict zone. I warned that the silence and inaction from those entrusted with power was unacceptable,” he said.
Muturi highlighted Kenya’s obligations under international law, citing the United Nations Security Council Resolution (2016), which addresses the trafficking and exploitation of individuals in situations of armed conflict.
“The Government is issuing statements and speaking of ‘looking into the matter.’ That is not enough,” he said.
“We demand the immediate return of our people to Kenyan soil. Investigations may continue, but the first responsibility of the State is clear: secure the safe return of those who are alive and ensure that those who have tragically lost their lives are brought home with dignity and honour,”he added.
Muturi called for accountability from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Labour, demanding answers on who authorized or permitted the recruitment, how many Kenyans are currently in the conflict zone, and what concrete steps are being taken to secure their immediate return.
He warned that any individuals whether private actors or public officials found responsible must face the “full wrath of the law.”
“This is not a minor administrative lapse. If young Kenyans were misled, trafficked, or facilitated into a foreign war zone under the watch of this administration, then this represents a grave failure of duty,” he said.
Investigation show more than 1,000 Kenyans have reportedly been recruited and trafficked to Russia since the war with Ukraine began, many lured by promises of lucrative salaries, hefty bonuses and foreign citizenship.
According to the investigation, rogue recruitment agencies have targeted former military and police officers as well as unemployed civilians aged between their mid-20s and 50s. Recruits are allegedly promised monthly pay of up to Sh350,000 and bonuses ranging from Sh900,000 to Sh1.2 million.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah lifted the lid on what he termed a deeply disturbing network of rogue state officials allegedly colluding with human trafficking syndicates to recruit and transport Kenyans to fight in the Russia–Ukraine war.
Addressing the House, the Kikuyu MP disclosed that a joint investigation by the National Intelligence Service and the Director of Criminal Investigations had uncovered collusion involving officers drawn from immigration, security agencies and even Kenya’s foreign missions.
“There has been collusion between officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Directorate of Immigration Services and the National Employment Authority,” Ichung’wah told MPs, warning that those implicated would face the full force of the law.
He directed the ministries concerned to identify the officers involved and ensure swift accountability.
“Government offices are not to be used for criminal activities,” he said.
