NAIROBI, Kenya — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua and Attorney-General Dorcas Oduor have been summoned to appear before the Senate on September 29, 2026, over the recruitment of Kenyans into foreign military service, including the Russian military.
The three officials failed to appear before a joint sitting of the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare and the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on Tuesday, prompting the committees to adjourn the hearing.
The officials had been expected to respond to families whose relatives died, disappeared or were reportedly captured after travelling to Russia.
Senate Reschedules Hearing to September 29
Mudavadi and Mutua told the Senate that they were attending a Cabinet meeting in Kisumu, while the Attorney-General’s office said Oduor was out of town.
The committees subsequently resolved to reconvene on September 29 to ensure the three officials are present to answer questions from the petitioners and senators.
The officials will also be expected to address the agencies involved in the recruitment and government measures to secure the release and safe return of affected Kenyans.
Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa said proceeding with the hearing without the relevant Cabinet secretaries would undermine its purpose.
“Receiving evidence from the families without the CSs present would be an academic exercise,” Thang’wa said.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu backed the position, saying the relevant State officers should be present as families presented their accounts.
More Than 800 Families Represented
Seven relatives travelled from Nyeri, Kericho, Nakuru and other parts of the country to appear before the committees, representing more than 800 affected families.
Among them was Bibiana Wangari, whose son died after travelling to Russia.
Winnie Rose Wainaina also appeared before the committees and told senators that her brother, Samuel Wainaina, had been missing since late October.
Other families reportedly told the Senate that their relatives had disappeared after travelling to Russia or were being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine.
The families supported the adjournment, saying they wanted an opportunity to engage the government officials directly.
Senate Hears Claims of Mass Recruitment
The inquiry was informed that more than 1,000 Kenyans may have been recruited into foreign military service.
That figure differs from information previously presented by the government. In April, Mudavadi told the National Assembly that data from Kenya’s embassy in Moscow indicated approximately 252 Kenyans may have been enlisted in Russian military operations.
The differing figures underline the need for the Senate inquiry to establish the number of Kenyans who have travelled to Russia, those who entered military service, those who have gone missing and those who have been killed or captured.
22 People Found in Athi River Operation
The committees also heard about an operation at Great Wall Gardens in Athi River, where 22 people were reportedly found being processed for travel to Russia by two alleged Kenyan handlers.
According to information presented to the committees, recruiters allegedly attracted prospective travellers with promises of Russian citizenship and monthly salaries of about Sh350,000, alongside bonuses of up to Sh1.2 million.
Some affected families have alleged that recruits were deprived of their identity documents after arriving in Russia and subsequently forced into military service.
The claims have not been independently established in each individual case.
Government Previously Outlined Measures
The issue has been under government scrutiny for months.
In April, Mudavadi told the National Assembly that Kenya had taken steps to stop further enlistment of Kenyans into Russian military operations and was pursuing arrangements for consular assistance and the voluntary disengagement of affected nationals.
He also said Kenya and Russia had agreed to strengthen information sharing to combat trafficking and smuggling networks involved in misleading recruitment schemes.
The government also said it was working to facilitate the repatriation of affected Kenyans and provide emergency travel documentation through the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow.
Families Seek Answers From Government
The latest Senate hearing has placed the experiences of affected families at the centre of the inquiry.
Relatives are seeking information about Kenyans who died, disappeared or were reportedly captured after travelling to Russia, while senators want government agencies to explain how recruitment networks operated and what measures were taken to prevent the recruitment of Kenyans into foreign military service.
The September 29 hearing is expected to give Mudavadi, Mutua and Oduor an opportunity to respond to the families’ accounts and answer questions from the two Senate committees.
The committees will also examine the government’s efforts to identify affected Kenyans, secure the release of those reportedly detained or captured and facilitate the safe return of those seeking to come home.
