Thorny issue pushed from top agenda as Mudavadi set for Kenya-Russia bilateral talks

Facing a host who believes that his country has been a godsend to Africa and that it has aided the continent through some of its disturbing periods in its history, it will be a tall order for Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to get a listening ear when he raises the troubling issue of Russia exploiting Kenyans in its war against Ukraine. 

On Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Mudavadi will hold talks with her boss Russia’s Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov on March 16, 2026, whose agenda, as listed by her, made no mention of the problem of Kenyans being duped to serve in Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

“During the meeting, the parties will discuss in detail the current state and prospects for the traditionally friendly Russia–Kenya relations,” said Zakharova in a statement, “outline practical steps to strengthen political dialogue and contacts in various areas, and to expand mutually beneficial partnership in trade, the economy, and humanitarian contacts”.

The statement then moved to discussions around the situation in the Middle East ‘in the wake of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran” during the Mudavadi Lavrov meeting.

Announcing his departure to Moscow, Mudavadi’s press office on Sunday seemed to also push the important issue of exploitation of Kenyans off the top of the agenda for visit.

The statement listed some rhetoric on deepening of relations between Kenya and Russia, particularly in areas of Education, Labour Mobility, Health, Infrastructure and Energy as most important, while strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries as vital.

The office said, “Kenya acknowledges Russia’s support in advancing education through scholarships and in strengthening agricultural productivity through fertilizer assistance”

“There exists a great potential for the export of Kenyan coffee, tea, and floriculture to the Russian market, especially at a time of the Middle East turbulence and beyond.”  Mudavadi is quoted to have said

Mudavadi will then hold a series of meetings according to the statement, with Lavrov, later with Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov, and Labour Minister Anton Kotyakov before giving a public lecture at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).

The important issue to Kenyans was tackled towards the end of the statement. In bullet six it says Mudavadi will hold talks with Russian top government officials to address the situation of Kenyans who may have been voluntarily or involuntarily drafted into the Russian military.

In obvious diplomatic lingo, the statement said; “To safeguard Kenyan citizens affected by the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, the CS will include a push for the facilitation of the affected Kenyans through a safe process for their repatriation”.  

From the statements both Russia and Kenya may not discuss the exploitation issue at the ministerial level between the host Lavrov and Mudavadi the guest.

Russian authorities appear keen to evade an issue that has raised heat in the country after the National Assembly received a report indicating that more than 1000 Kenyans are fighting for Russia, majority having been duped into the war frontline.

Last month, after Leader of Majority Kimani Ichungwa tabled the National Inteligence Service report before the National Assembly, members expressed shock over the manner in which Kenyans have been taken to Moscow to fight for Russia against Ukraine.

“This is a chilling matter. We are so vulnerable to the extent that we are unable to manage this situation. The DCI and the NIS need to move with swiftness and deal with these rogue agencies,”  Ichung’wah told the house during tabling of the report. He said some agencies collude with airport staff from the Directorate of Immigration, DCI, the Anti-Narcotics Unit and the National Employment Authority to facilitate recruits without interception at JKIA. Others, he said, collude with some staff at the Russian embassy in Nairobi and the Kenyan embassy in Moscow, who issue recruits with Russian visit visas.

“For the close to over 1,000 estimated to have gone, not all have travelled from Kenya; some are already in the diaspora who have since moved to go and fight in Russia,” he said.

As Mudavadi was finalising his plans around his tour, Busia Senator Okiya Omutata, dismissed the planned trip as another public relations gimmick. He wondered whether it was not another plank in the ongoing puzzle that he claimed may have begun with Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua's Kazi Majuu (jobs abroad) to feed Russia's war machine in the pretext of jobs abroad after victims of Russia’s war against Ukraine increased in the country. 

“We want to know at least the jobs they took Kenyans to do. Because the silence of the government and the dragging of feet over the issue is indicative of complicity in the mess. Until and unless they clear themselves by showing us who took these Kenyans there, I believe that the Kenyan government is complicit with the underworld and some nefarious forces to traffic out Kenyans,” He said in a statement after meeting families of victims that have been killed on the war frontlines. 

Lavrov and the self-righteous gospel he runs

Lavrov is a firm believer in Russia’s benefactor role for Africa who, whenever he hosts sittings bringing Africans together, has preached that gospel. He has has not wasted an opportunity to ignore reports of Russia exploiting Africans for a quick gain for Moscow.

In an article send to media a day before opening of the second Ministerial Conference of the Russia- Africa partnership Forum on December 19/20 in Cairo Russian Federation Foreign Minister gloated over what he called solid friendship between Africa and the Federation dating back to precolonial days.

There are many reasons for Russia–Africa mutual attraction, he wrote, African friends remember, and we appreciate it, that our country, it was the Soviet Union back then, supported their desire to break free from the shackles of colonial dependence. We are proud that our predecessors provided this assistance selflessly and with dedication. 

“It was the Soviet Union that played the key role in the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples exactly 65 years ago. After that Moscow has consistently contributed to the formation of young African States, their national economies, and the establishment of education and healthcare systems” He said 

He quoted his boss Russian President Valdimir Pution saying, "We have virtually no disagreements with any African countries and the level of trust and mutual affinity is high, mainly because our relations with Africa have never been tarnished. We have never been involved in the exploitation of African peoples." 

As Russian authorities deny exploiting Africans, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry data by October last year said around 1500 Africans had been lured or tricked into the war by Russian recruiters. The ministry said "The lives of Africans are considered by the aggressor an expendable: cheap and easier to replace. This is how this war of aggression has slowly turned into a war of consumption – publicly framed as opportunity and cooperation, while driven by deception". 

The Standard has reported emerging reports of exploitation of jobless youth by Russia from across several African countries. While Kenya has drawn particular attention to this issue, reports from other parts of the continent point to the same pattern – false promises of civilian jobs resulting in war trauma and death.

Those who survive speak of jobs promised and contracts misrepresented; arriving in Moscow or St Petersburg on tourist visas, having documents confiscated, being pressured into signing papers they could not comprehend, and are sent directly into combat.

Others travelled knowingly, believing the risk was calculated and predictable. Those, who are lucky to return do not bring home the money they were promised, but injuries, trauma, and permanent damage to their health. 

Security and war analysts say that now loosing around 1.3 million in the meat grinder against peaceful Ukraine that never threatened it, Russia is fighting a war not until the last Russian dies, but until the last poor and downtrodden from around the globe does.