At least 354 Kenyans remain unaccounted for after travelling to Russia and joining the war against Ukraine, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has told the Senate.
Mudavadi spoke on Thursday, October 8, 2026, while appearing before a joint Senate committee on Labour and Defence.
He told senators that the government had so far repatriated 62 Kenyans. However, authorities continue to search for those whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Petitioners dispute government figures
Meanwhile, petitioners who appeared before the committee gave a different figure.
They claimed that 841 Kenyans remain unaccounted for after travelling to Russia.
Mudavadi explained that the government cannot confirm whether the missing Kenyans are dead or alive.
Therefore, authorities classify them as “missing in action” until they can verify their fate.
“It’s because we cannot verify whether the person is dead or not. So we have to use the term missing in action,” Mudavadi told senators.
He added that declaring someone dead would require authorities to provide evidence of their death.
Some Kenyans travelled without informing families
Mudavadi said tracing the missing Kenyans has proved difficult for several reasons.
According to the Prime Cabinet Secretary, some Kenyans travelled to Russia without telling their families about their plans.
Others also left without informing the Kenyan government.
“Some of the people that we are dealing with left even without informing their own families where they were going, let alone informing the government of Kenya,” he said.
Despite these challenges, Mudavadi said the government would continue searching for the affected Kenyans.
“So we are chasing after the event. These are the painful truths. But they are our citizens, we still have to look for them,” he added.
Kenya relies on diplomatic efforts
Mudavadi also said Kenya lacks the military capacity to conduct rescue operations in the Russia-Ukraine war zone.
As a result, the government is relying on diplomatic channels to assist Kenyans caught up in the conflict.
“Kenya does not have the capacity, militarily, to enter into a war zone, in Russia or Ukraine. So Kenya has got to use diplomatic channels. It’s the only way,” he said.
The government is engaging both Russian and Ukrainian authorities to help secure the release of Kenyans captured during the conflict.
Furthermore, Kenya is pushing for its nationals to join prisoner exchange arrangements between Russia and Ukraine.
Mudavadi said the government could either negotiate directly with Ukraine or engage Russia to ensure Kenyan prisoners of war take part in such exchanges.
Embassy helps Kenyans escaping the war
Kenyans who manage to escape the conflict are receiving temporary assistance at the Kenyan embassy in Russia.
Mudavadi said the embassy provides accommodation and food as officials arrange their return to Kenya.
However, he warned that Kenyans who join foreign armed forces could face legal issues at home.
Section 58 of the Penal Code criminalises enlistment in the armed forces of a foreign government without the President’s consent.
Despite this provision, Mudavadi said the government’s immediate priority remains helping affected Kenyans return home safely.
“Our mission is to help as many Kenyans as possible, who may be on the front lines, to come back home. And we really wish that we can have more coming home alive, rather than dead,” he said.
Kenyans signed private military contracts
Mudavadi also clarified that the contracts signed by Kenyans recruited into the Russian military were private agreements.
He said the agreements involved the individuals and entities in Russia. The Kenyan government did not take part in those contracts.
Meanwhile, the government does not currently have a dedicated fund for rescuing and repatriating Kenyans caught up in foreign conflicts.
Mudavadi said a proposed legal framework could create a welfare fund for such emergencies in the future.
The proposal would, however, require approval from Parliament.
“There is no law, no fund, that is designated for this. And it is Parliament that allocates. So as of now, in the budgetary items, Parliament has not allocated any money for this kind of intervention,” he said.
Senate examines recruitment of Kenyans
The Senate committee is currently examining a petition on the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military.
The inquiry also covers the detention of Kenyan nationals in Ukrainian prisons.
The committee is expected to consider the concerns raised by both the government and petitioners as it examines the matter.
