Government's surprising cosiness with Moscow despite losing its citizens in Russia's war

(L) Martin Macharia and Peter Kimemia in Russia. [Courtesy]

On a day that US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey Graham Bill into law, thereby heightening the spate of sanctions against Russia, Kenya’s government confirmed it would attend the upcoming Russia- Africa summit because it “conducts its foreign relations strictly based on sovereign national interests”

This is despite revelations by the country’s own intelligence agency in mid- February that Russia had illegally recruited nearly 1000 Kenyans into its war against Ukraine. Leader of Majority Kimani Ichungwa tabled the facts before the National Assembly, also as a matter of national interest

Even before the ink had dried on the response by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs -Nairobi, to questions from The Standard, 51 countries among those attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly announced on Wednesday their support for Ukraine.

Civilians in military uniforms take part in a military training organised by Ukrainian soldiers of the Third Separate Assault Brigade in Kyiv on November 23, 2024. [AFP]

The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Kaja Kallas said at the UNGA summit that since March 2025, Ukraine had agreed to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire

“We call on Russia to finally do the same; Ukraine wants peace; we want peace. Russia must stop its aggression, accept a ceasefire and engage meaningfully in negotiations towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in accordance with international law,” She said

In the eyes of the Kenya government, though, relations with the Russian Federation, a country described in the West as a bully, remain cordial, respectful and mutually beneficial. Because of this, a Kenyan government delegation will attend the Russia-Africa Summit to be hosted in Moscow between October 28 and 29. Some of Kenya’s friends in the West have remained sceptical of Moscow because, over time, it has waged war against its neighbours who seek freedom from its political influence. The ongoing war against Ukraine came after an earlier major war by Russia against Georgia in 2008.

Kenya’s participation will be guided by its non-aligned foreign policy, meaning it does not take sides, under the pillars of Economic, Diaspora, Peace and Security, Culture and Environment. Said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Kenya continues to value its longstanding partnerships across all regions, including the West” The statement, shared with The Standard this week, said “the country engages globally in pursuit of opportunities that advance economic growth, expand markets, strengthen multilateral cooperation and enhance the welfare of its citizens”

Observers of the ongoing war against Ukraine may find Kenya’s act aloof and even cold, especially because over one hundred families in the country have been pushing the government to help repatriate their relatives trapped in Russia’s Army because most were recruited by deception. The families have also been pushing for compensation to those who have been killed fighting for Russia in the ongoing war.

Billy Ledama Ole Kaparo, who vanished in Russia while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. [File Courtesy]

A petition by the families is already before parliament. A second sitting this month is expected on September 29 after Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua failed to honour an invitation for the September 15 sitting of two Senate committees: the Labour relations committee and the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee.

The CSs were expected to respond to issues raised in the petition, among them: the extent and circumstances of recruitment and deployment of Kenyan nationals to Russia, the number of Kenyans serving, missing, dead or detained, and investigations against recruitment agencies and trafficking networks. Families also want support mechanisms for those among them that are most affected.

The summonses to the Labour CS emanated from his name cropping up in claims around his Kazi Majuu program, which ran on a promise of jobs for Kenyans abroad, including in Russia. Mutua has, however, vehemently denied associations with networks that have been illegally recruiting and sending Kenyans to fight for Russia in Ukraine.

“You must differentiate between government projects such as Kazi Majuu and the work of crooks who have duped Kenyans to serve in the Russian army”, Mutua told The Standard in an earlier interview after his image went round on the socials associating him with the recruitment “The Kenya government never sent any of its citizens to fight in Ukraine.”

Denis Bagaka and Simon Gititu were lured into the war while working in Qatar for private security firms. [Ukraine's Defence Intelligence]

Mutua said his Kazi Majuu programme had given several Kenyans jobs in Russia. Some of them, he said, are doing well and have built homes for their parents. None of them is dead or fighting on the frontline, he said. Some have contacted him asking him to speak to their employers to renew their contracts.

It is now emerging that the “good relations with Russia” praised by Mutua is among the issues that the Kenyan delegation seeks to build on at the October summit and will introduce a fresh chapter in relations between the two countries.

The Standard has learned that issues discussed during Mudavadi’s Moscow visit in March remain active on the bilateral agenda and are expected to feature in follow-up discussions during the Moscow Summit. Some of the issues to be discussed include an increase in scholarships for Kenyan students in Russia to 70 annually. Exploration of professional opportunities for Kenyan youth. Cooperation in the energy sector, including Kenya’s ambition to generate 10,000 MW and interest in Russia’s advanced nuclear expertise. Progress on the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to facilitate direct air connectivity. And expansion of Kenya’s export footprint in the Russian market through targeted trade facilitation and product diversification.

This will most certainly irk Ukraine, the current victim of Russia’s expansionist bullishness, whose president, Volodymyr Zelensky, made a call in his address at the New York summit. Among the issues he has pushed for is African countries to stop recruiting their jobless youths into the Russian army.

Speaking during the 81st session on Wednesday, Zelensky specifically named Kenya, saying Russia was using citizens from 47 countries in its military operations.  He also mentioned Sudan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nepal, Tajikistan, India, Yemen, Cuba and Belarus.

“I want to speak directly to every representative of these 47 countries. You know what Russia is doing with your citizens. Take care of them. Do not let them end up on another front,” he said.

Zelensky also called on the countries to restrict Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its war effort. He said Ukraine had received requests from some countries seeking the return of their citizens captured as prisoners of war.

In November last year, President William Ruto, in a post on his X account, said he had had a phone call with Zelensky and had requested the return of Kenyans captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. At the time, news of Kenyan athlete Evans Kibet’s capture on the frontline had spread after Ukrainian authorities released a video of him calling for amnesty from a prisoner-of-war camp.