Kenyans who were recruited to serve in the Russian military will not be immediately repatriated despite appeals from their families. The position was confirmed after Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi held talks on Monday with Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow to discuss the fate of the Kenyan citizens.
The meeting addressed growing concerns in Kenya following reports that several citizens had travelled to Russia and later joined the country’s military. Many of the recruits were reportedly drawn by job opportunities that later turned out to involve military service. Some families have since appealed to the Kenyan government to intervene and facilitate the return of their relatives.
During the discussions, Lavrov explained that the Kenyans who joined the Russian military did so voluntarily and had signed formal contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence. According to him, the contracts do not contain provisions that allow immediate repatriation once they become active.
“All Kenyans, as well as other nationals who signed contracts, did it voluntarily. The contracts did not have any provision for repatriation. When the contracts are effective, they can terminate this contract, but this is done under the Ministry of Defence,” said Lavrov.
Mudavadi acknowledged the concerns raised by Kenyan families but emphasized that the matter would be handled through diplomatic engagement between the two governments. He also noted that some of the individuals involved had travelled abroad without clearly disclosing their intentions.
“Some of these Kenyans did not disclose their intentions. In our laws, it is also illegal to do these things,” said Mudavadi.
Lavrov also pointed out that Russia does not specifically target African countries when recruiting workers or individuals seeking opportunities. He explained that people from many parts of the world voluntarily seek work in Russia.
“Russia does not decide to recruit; people join voluntarily. No one can prevent their citizens from looking for jobs if they want to look for jobs. We don’t target Africa specifically. We have citizens from Asia and other countries,” said Lavrov.
Despite the challenges, the two countries agreed on steps to prevent similar situations in the future. During the talks, Kenya secured an agreement with Russia to stop the recruitment of Kenyan citizens into the Russian military.
Mudavadi confirmed that both governments had agreed that Kenyans will no longer be enlisted in Russia’s defence forces going forward.
“We have now agreed that Kenyans shall not be enlisted in the Department of Defence and they will no longer be eligible for enlisting in the military here in Russia,” Mudavadi said in Moscow.
He also said arrangements are being made to support Kenyans who are currently hospitalised in Russia through consular assistance from the Kenyan government.
“The consular services will also be arranged for Kenyans who are in hospital so that they can be assisted according to the law,” he said.
Mudavadi further stressed that Kenya does not want its diplomatic relations with Russia to be defined by the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War.
“We do not want for any reason our partnership with Russia to be considered through the lens of special operations,” he said.
The Foreign Affairs CS travelled to Moscow on Sunday after reports emerged that dozens of Kenyans had been recruited to fight for Russia in the conflict with Ukraine. Some of the Kenyans are reported to have died on the battlefield, while others remain stranded in Russia after allegedly being recruited through misleading job offers.
Mudavadi said the Kenyan government is continuing to work with Russian authorities to address the concerns raised by families and assist citizens who wish to return home once their contractual issues are resolved.
“As we resolve the concerns of Kenyan families, I believe we have now found a common ground to ensure no further enlisting,” he said.
His visit to Moscow is also expected to strengthen cooperation between Kenya and Russia in areas such as education, agriculture, labour mobility, infrastructure and energy.
