The United Democratic Alliance has welcomed a new agreement between Kenya and Russia to halt the recruitment of Kenyan nationals into foreign military operations.
In a statement, the party said the deal marks a significant step in protecting the welfare and rights of Kenyans abroad, particularly young people who have been targeted by dubious recruitment networks with promises of lucrative job opportunities.
The agreement was reached following high-level diplomatic engagements between Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, and Sergey Lavrov during talks held in Moscow.
According to the statement, Russia has committed to cease all enlistment of Kenyan nationals into its ongoing Special Military Operations, addressing growing concerns over the safety of Kenyans caught up in the conflict.
“The understanding was reached following diplomatic engagements between Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, who is currently in Moscow, Russia, and Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov,” the statement read.
The development comes amid reports of several Kenyans who had been recruited into the war, with some returning home with traumatic experiences. One such returnee, Evans Kibet, is reported to have survived the conflict and safely reunited with his family.
A number of other Kenyans have also been mentioned in reports linked to recruitment or involvement in the conflict, raising alarm over the scale of the issue and the vulnerability of job-seeking youth.
UDA emphasized that the agreement should serve as a wake-up call to Kenyans to exercise caution when seeking employment opportunities abroad. The party urged citizens to verify all overseas job offers through official government channels to avoid falling prey to fraudulent schemes.
