Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has revealed that some Kenyans are using indirect routes through the Middle East to join the Russian military, making it difficult for the government to track them.
Appearing before a Senate committee on Thursday, Mudavadi said most of them leave Kenya in search of jobs, especially in the Gulf, only to later find themselves in Russia.
“You may find someone left Kenya for a normal job in the Middle East, but later moved to Russia,” he explained.
He said this route makes it difficult for the government to keep track of the individuals involved. The individuals involved may even change their documents and travel as tourists. This makes it even more difficult for the government to keep track of the individuals involved.
The government is currently seeking to understand the process of the recruitment and the individuals involved. Mudavadi has confirmed that two individuals were arrested over allegations of operating a fake recruitment agency.
The individuals were arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers in collaboration with other government agencies.
Despite the government efforts to locate the whereabouts of the Kenyans involved in the conflict, the fate of the individuals remains unknown. Mudavadi has said that at least 16 individuals are missing. Others are undergoing medical attention in hospitals under restricted conditions. Two individuals are being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
Mudavadi has said that the government has officially recorded 252 individuals from Kenya who were recruited. The actual number may be higher.
So far, 47 individuals have been returned home.
Mudavadi has said that the government has not stopped seeking the assistance of the Russian government to stop the recruitment and help the individuals involved in the conflict return home.
He has said that the government has warned the public to be careful when seeking employment in foreign countries. The government has said that not all job offers in foreign countries are genuine.
