Another scandal erupts in Kenya over recruitment of mercenaries into the Russian army

Another scandal is erupting in Kenya over the recruitment of mercenaries into the Russian army. Local Labour and Social Protection Minister Alfred Mutua is accused of involvement in sending local men to the war against Ukraine.

Relatives of Kenyans who were killed have turned against the official: many of the men ended up in Russia through a state employment program, raising questions, including among law enforcement, AFP writes.

Mutua has headed this program since August 2024. Through it, about 400,000 Kenyans went abroad. Until recently, Russia was one of the popular destinations for labor migration. The minister, for example, personally posted photos on social media with people whom the state was sending to earn money in the distant northern country. According to local human rights activists, most of these people have long since died on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirms Mutua’s involvement in the criminal scheme to send compatriots to certain death. AFP sources in the country’s law enforcement agencies confirm that the official’s involvement went beyond being “merely political.” Alfred Mutua has not been formally charged with anything at this point, but the case has drawn major public attention.

Earlier, Kenyan authorities managed to get Russia to stop recruiting their citizens. After that, it became known that Russian command urgently transferred 518 Kenyan citizens, who had previously been in Russian Armed Forces training camps, to the front in order to “zero them out” in assaults. In total, according to Kenyan intelligence estimates, the number of the country’s citizens who ended up in the Russian Armed Forces may exceed 1,000.

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France 24

Kenya labour minister accused over Russian forced recruitment

Erastus Mundia left Kenya on a work programme his government had arranged with Russia. He died on the battlefield in Ukraine, and his family holds Labour Minister Alfred Mutua responsible.