Family conducts mock burial for Kenyan killed fighting for Russia

Family of the late Oscar Khagola Mutoka during the mock burial ceremony in Mukhunga village, Busia County, on May 9, 2026. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard] 

Tears flowed freely as family, relatives and friends gathered for the symbolic burial ceremony of Oscar Khagola Mutoka, who was killed in Russia.

Oscar died while fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine. However, his body was never recovered after he was declared missing in action.

Instead of lowering a casket into the grave, the family buried a stone foundation in their home in Mukhunga Village in Busia County on Saturday, a painful reminder of the emptiness and uncertainty surrounding the death of the former Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier.

The sombre ceremony laid bare the agony of a family struggling to find closure.

They called on the Kenyan government to intervene and protect young people being recruited to fight in wars abroad with the promise of better opportunities.

Mutoka is said to have died on August 14, 2025, barely weeks after reportedly being deployed to the Russian frontline.

Months later, the family is yet to receive clear communication regarding his death.

Speaking during the emotional ceremony, Oscar’s father, Charles Mutoka, painfully narrated he left Kenya in search of employment opportunities after life became difficult at home.

Mutoka said his son left Kenya on June 26, 2025, and flew through Istanbul before arriving in St Petersburg, Russia, where he informed the family that he had secured employment.

“We are really heartbroken. Oscar left Kenya last year saying he had secured a job in Russia. At first, we communicated frequently after he arrived, but communication suddenly stopped. We tried several times to find out what had happened and even travelled to Nairobi to seek help from government offices, but we were told nothing much could be done to help us bring our child back home,” he said.

The grieving father told mourners that Oscar later informed the family that he had joined the Russian military despite undergoing what he described as a suspiciously short training period.

Family members overwhelmed by emotions during the mock burial ceremony of the late Oscar Khagola Mutoka in Mukhunga village, Busia County, on May 9, 2026. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard] 

“He told us he had been recruited into the Russian army after only two weeks of training. I wondered how military training could only take two weeks because when he was in KDF, training took much longer. Oscar had once served in the Kenya Defence Forces before resigning, so I found the whole thing disturbing,” he said.

Mutoka claimed that shortly after the training, Oscar was deployed to the frontline, where he is believed to have died.

“That is why his life ended so quickly. He was taken straight to the frontline. Now we are left in pain because he was my only son. This family is completely devastated,” he said.

He further accused the Kenyan government of failing the family after allegedly promising to assist in repatriating Oscar’s body back to Kenya.

“This government failed us because we were promised that his body would be brought back home, but nothing happened. Today we are burying only stones because we do not have a body. I have never even boarded an aeroplane, so how would I even travel to Russia to follow up this matter myself?” He posed.

The elderly man appealed to authorities to regulate the alleged recruitment of Kenyans into foreign military operations, warning that many families could continue losing their children.

“There are many Kenyan youths still going to Russia as mercenaries because of poverty and unemployment. Let the government regulate this because we cannot continue losing our children like this. They should stay here in poverty than die in foreign wars,” he said.

Charles Mutoka the father of the late Oscar Khagola Mutoka addresses during the mock burial in Mukhunga village, Busia County, on May 9, 2026. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard]

Oscar’s widow, Milcah Nelima, struggled to hold back tears as she recounted the difficulties they had endured before her husband left for Russia.

Nelima said Oscar resigned from KDF and later worked as a private security officer guarding politicians to support his family.

“Oscar had once served in KDF before resigning. Life became very difficult for us and he later started working as a security officer for politicians just to make ends meet. Then in 2025, he informed me that he had secured a job opportunity in Russia and asked me to help him process medical reports before travelling,” she said.

She recounted how they remained in communication after he arrived in Russia until he reportedly joined military operations.

“We communicated normally after he arrived there. Later, he informed us that he had joined the military, but after some time, communication completely stopped. Eventually, my sister-in-law received information that Oscar had died on the frontline,” she said.

Nelima said the family has struggled to get assistance to repatriate his remains back to Kenya.

“Since January 2026 when we received the news of his death, we have been moving from one office to another seeking help. Unfortunately, we have not succeeded in bringing him home. That is why today we are conducting a mock burial because there is no body to bury,” she added.

The widow said the situation has traumatised their children, who are struggling to understand why their father’s burial is taking place without a body or coffin.

“My children are mentally affected because they know when somebody dies, there is supposed to be a casket and burial. They cannot understand why their father is not here. It has been very difficult explaining everything to them,” she said while fighting back tears.

Oscar’s sister, Mary Orendo, also condemned what she termed as government silence and negligence, saying the family first learnt about his death through unofficial channels months later.

“The government really failed us because we received the news about Oscar’s death through a third party almost five months later. We expected the government to help us bring his remains home and give him a dignified burial, but instead we are conducting the burial without a body,” she said. 

Orendo revealed that she got a distress call from Oscar before communication completely ended.

“The last call he made was a distress call. He told us, These people are not good. If I knew, I would not have come here. That was the last conversation with him,” she recalled emotionally.

She said the family became worried after months of silence and started searching for answers through recruitment agents and government offices.

“After two months without hearing from him, we started knocking on government doors and following up with the agents who had taken him there so that we could know what had happened. But the answers came too late,” she said.

Orendo narrated that in January 2026 the family received information that Oscar died on August 14, 2025, barely a month after his last communication with them.

“If he spoke to us on July 26 and passed away on August 14, it means he survived the war front for only about two weeks. He did not even last a month there,” she said.

She further disclosed that the family later received communication from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs regarding compensation procedures, a move that left them confused.

“It was confusing because at first the government said they were not involved and knew nothing about the recruitment. Later, they contacted us and informed us about compensation procedures. We submitted all the required documents last week, but up to now, there has been no clear communication on what happens next,” she said.

Orendo said Oscar became her protector and confidant after their mother died.

“Oscar was my only brother and protector. After losing our mother, he became my best friend and confidant. Now I am left with many questions, and so are his children because they are too young to understand what is happening,” she said.

She urged the Kenyan government to take action to stop the recruitment of Kenyan youths into the Russia-Ukraine conflict and help families recover the remains of loved ones.

“As taxpayers, we believe the government has a responsibility to protect all its citizens. I call upon the government to stop this Russian recruitment and help bring back our brothers, whether alive or dead. Families deserve closure,” she said.