Kenya Arrests Suspect Accused of Recruiting Men to Fight in Ukraine War

Kenya Arrests Man Accused of Human Trafficking Scheme

A Kenyan man, Festus Arasa Omwamba, has been detained by police in Moyale, a town near the country’s border with Ethiopia. According to a statement released on Wednesday, Omwamba is believed to be a key player in a human trafficking syndicate that lured Kenyans into Russia with false promises of work.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations stated that Omwamba was arrested after arriving from Russia and is being held for allegedly recruiting Kenyans into the Russian military. He is expected to appear in court soon.

This arrest comes after Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) released a report last week stating that over 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war. The report also stated that 89 Kenyans are currently on the front lines, 39 are hospitalized, and 28 are missing in action.

Families of those affected by the alleged human trafficking scheme have been protesting in Nairobi, demanding action from the government. Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi plans to travel to Russia in March to engage with authorities and secure a safe return for Kenyans believed to be stranded there.

Reports of similar cases have surfaced from other African countries, including South Africa and Zimbabwe. Ukraine has also accused Russia of using deception to recruit more than 1,700 Africans to join its war effort.

Source: Al Jazeera