The National Intelligence Service has exposed a sophisticated network allegedly recruiting Kenyans to fight in the Russia–Ukraine war, with evidence pointing to the involvement of rogue officials in government agencies and diplomatic missions.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah tabled the findings in the National Assembly on Wednesday, revealing that more than 1,000 Kenyans have been trafficked through illegal channels, many lured by promises of high pay and foreign citizenship.
According to the NIS report, rogue recruitment agencies are targeting former military personnel, ex-police officers, and civilians aged 25 to 50 who are desperate for work abroad.
“The ongoing Russia–Ukraine war continues to trigger the recruitment of foreign fighters by Russia military through rogue recruitment agencies and individuals in Kenya. The rogue agencies are targeting ex-military, ex-police officers, as well as civilians aged between the mid-20s and 50 years who are desperate for job opportunities abroad,” Ichung’wah said.
The report indicates that recruits are promised monthly salaries of around Sh350,000 and bonuses of Sh900,000 to Sh1.2 million. Many are misled to believe they will take up security jobs, only to be flown to Russia, given minimal military training, and sent to conflict zones.
“They are told you are going to work as a guard… only to get to those countries and you are taken to military camps,” Ichung’wah told the House. “You’ve only trained for three weeks… They are basically just giving you a gun to go and die.”
As of February 2026, 39 Kenyans who joined the war are hospitalized, 30 have been repatriated, 28 are missing, 35 remain in military camps, 89 are at the frontlines, one is detained, and one has completed his contract. Families are struggling with the emotional trauma caused by the conflict.
The NIS report alleges collusion between rogue recruitment agents and officials in the Directorate of Immigration Services, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the anti-narcotics unit, and the National Employment Authority.
Staff at the Russian embassy in Nairobi and Kenya’s embassy in Moscow were also implicated in issuing visas that allowed recruits to leave the country.
An agency operating along Koinonge Street in Nairobi reportedly recruited Kenyans under the pretense of the Kazi Majuu initiative. Victims reported signing contracts both locally and with an unnamed overseas employment agency in Moscow before being transported to Russia.
Ichung’wah also detailed a September 2025 DCI raid at Great Wall Apartments, where 22 victims aged 24–38 were found under the supervision of two Kenyans linked to a Russian national.
“There has been collusion between officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, the Directorate of Immigration Services and the National Employment Authority,” he said. The Russian national was arrested, repatriated, and monitored thereafter.
The Majority Leader called for accountability within government ministries and Kenya’s diplomatic missions.
“The ministries concerned… must be able to pinpoint who these particular officers are and hold them to account. Government offices are not to be used for criminal activities,” he said. He further warned that the embassy in Moscow must be beyond reproach, serving as a safe place for Kenyans rather than a channel for exploitation.
Other MPs raised concerns over the scale of the operations. Taita Taveta Woman Representative Lydia Haika noted that while some agencies have been blacklisted by the NEA, many continue to exploit Kenyans abroad.
“These are issues that come to our committee every day… NEA has blacklisted some rogue agencies, but there are still many exploiting Kenyans. We need a collective government approach to assist these victims,” she said.
Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap called for a thorough probe of agencies claiming to provide overseas jobs but suspected of sending Kenyans to conflict zones.
He also urged reintegration programs for returnees and appealed to parents and community leaders to monitor young people seeking work abroad.
“I am extremely shocked by the manner in which Kenyans can be taken all the way to Moscow to find another sovereign country called Ukraine. This is a serious matter. Parents and community leaders must be vigilant if a child disappears for weeks and claims to travel for work,” he said.
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo said economic desperation drives many young Kenyans to pursue low-skilled work abroad. “The only way we can save ourselves is to continuously build this economy so each Kenyan can have a job. Otherwise, many young people end up maimed or dead in conflict zones,” he said.
MPs called for stronger oversight of recruitment agencies, action against implicated officials, and public guidance to use legitimate programs like Kazi Majuu when seeking employment abroad.
