Micah Jonah
February 27, 2026
Festus Omwamba, a Kenyan man, has been charged with human trafficking for allegedly recruiting 22 Kenyan youths to fight for the Russian army in Ukraine. Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said the victims were promised jobs in Russia but were deceived, exploited. Three youths who had already left Kenya were sent to the front line and later returned with injuries, while the remaining victims were rescued from an apartment in Athi River, Machakos County.
Omwamba pleaded not guilty at the Kahawa Law Courts in Kiambu. His lawyer described the case as speculative. Authorities allege he is part of a broader human trafficking syndicate that lures vulnerable individuals with false job offers in Europe. He was arrested earlier this month in Moyale, near the Ethiopian border.
A National Intelligence Service report revealed that over 1,000 Kenyans have joined the Russian army in recent months. Of these, 89 remain on the front line, 39 are hospitalised, and 28 are missing in action. Legislator Kimani Ichung’wah alleged that some Russian embassy officials collaborated with recruitment agencies and trafficking syndicates.
The Russian embassy in Nairobi denied the accusations, emphasizing that foreign enlistment is voluntary and that no tourist visas are issued for fighting purposes. Separately, South Africa confirmed the deaths of two of its citizens on the front lines, separate from the 17 South Africans previously tricked into fighting for Russia, who have largely been repatriated. Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola cautioned that suspicious overseas job offers are likely scams.
