By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Police in Kenya have arrested a man fingered in a recruitment scam, in which Kenyan citizens are promised skilled work in Russia, only for them to end up at training camps, in preparation to fight in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Festus Omwamba was arrested in connection with human trafficking in the northern Kenyan town of Moyale, near the border with Ethiopia.
He was charged before an anti-terror court in the capital, Nairobi on Thursday, for allegedly trafficking 25 Kenyans to Russia last year. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said Omwamba sought to flee Kenya after returning from Russia.
The suspect, who was identified by three Kenyan recruits had gone missing after families started protesting the disappearances and deaths of their relatives in the war in Ukraine.
Kenyan government had last week said over 1,000 of its citizens were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine and that at least 89 of them were still on the front line, 39 hospitalized, 28 missing in action, while others had returned home, with at least one death confirmed.
Heritage Times HT had earlier reported an intelligence report presented to Kenya’s Parliament by the majority leader, Kimani Ichung’wah, where it was alleged that Kenyan and Russian government officials colluded with rogue job recruitment agencies to lure Kenyans to the front lines.
The Russian Embassy in Nairobi has denied the allegations, saying last week that it never issued visas to anyone intending to travel to Russia to fight in Ukraine.
Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said he would travel to Russia for what he called a “diplomatic approach to rein in any dubious entities that are taking advantage of anyone in this misadventure.”
He said efforts to secure the release of Kenyans in Ukrainian prisons and repatriate those in Russia were ongoing.
Omwamba’s arrest is seen as a major development in the government’s push to stop the recruitment of Kenyans to fight in Ukraine.
According to AP report, John Kamau, a recruit who escaped from the front line and sought refuge at the Kenyan Embassy in Russia, and later processed for return home said he met Omwamba at a house in Nairobi where fellow recruits awaiting travel to Russia were confined.
