Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has revealed that 354 Kenyans remain unaccounted for after travelling to Russia to join the ongoing war against Ukraine. He made the disclosure during an appearance before a joint Senate committee on Labour and Defence on Thursday, October 8, 2026. According to Mudavadi, 62 Kenyans have so far been repatriated, as the government continues efforts to trace those whose whereabouts remain unknown.
However, petitioners appearing before the committee disputed the government's figures, claiming that 841 Kenyans remain unaccounted for. The discrepancy has raised concerns about the accuracy of the government's data and the effectiveness of its efforts to account for the missing Kenyans. Mudavadi explained that the government could not establish whether those reported missing were dead or alive, and therefore had to classify them as missing in action until their fate was verified.
The classification of the missing Kenyans as "missing in action" is due to the lack of information about their status, Mudavadi told senators. He explained that if the government were to declare them dead, it would be obligated to produce their bodies, which was not possible. The Prime Cabinet Secretary also noted that some of the missing Kenyans had travelled to Russia without informing their families or the Kenyan government, making it difficult for authorities to track them down.
Mudavadi acknowledged that Kenya lacks the military capacity to conduct rescue operations in the Russia-Ukraine war zone, leaving diplomatic engagement as the government's primary option. He disclosed that the government was engaging Russian and Ukrainian authorities to secure the release of Kenyans captured during the conflict, including pushing for their inclusion in prisoner exchange arrangements. Kenya is exploring the possibility of negotiating directly with Ukraine or engaging Russia to ensure Kenyan prisoners of war are included in exchanges between the two countries.
The government is also providing assistance to Kenyans who escape the conflict, with Mudavadi revealing that they are being accommodated and fed at the Kenyan embassy in Russia before being assisted with travel arrangements back home. He further clarified that contracts signed by Kenyans recruited into the Russian military were private agreements between the individuals and entities in Russia, and did not involve the Kenyan government.
Mudavadi cautioned that Section 58 of the Penal Code criminalises enlistment in the armed forces of a foreign government without the consent of the President. However, he maintained that the government was prioritising the safe return of affected citizens rather than pursuing possible criminal violations arising from their recruitment. The Prime Cabinet Secretary also revealed that there is currently no dedicated government fund to finance the rescue and repatriation of Kenyans caught up in foreign conflicts.
A proposed legislative framework seeks to establish a welfare fund, subject to parliamentary approval, to facilitate such interventions in future. The Senate committee is examining a petition concerning the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military and the detention of Kenyan nationals in Ukrainian prisons.
Key points
- 354 Kenyans are reported missing after joining the Russia-Ukraine war.
- The Kenyan government is using diplomatic channels to secure the release of Kenyans captured during the conflict.
- A proposed legislative framework seeks to establish a welfare fund to finance the rescue and repatriation of Kenyans caught up in foreign conflicts.
