Mudavadi: Kenyans who fought for Russia broke the law

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has said that Kenyan youth who travelled abroad to fight for Russian forces violated the law, but assured that the government will not pursue legal action against them.

Mudavadi noted that while the actions of the young Kenyans contravened national laws, the government has opted for a more lenient and humanitarian approach, focusing on their safe return and reintegration.

“In Kenyan law, Section 68 of the Penal Code makes it clear that it is wrong for any Kenyan to join a foreign military and get into a war without the express consent of the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces,” Mudavadi said. “Those who went to fight for Russia broke the law.”

Mudavadi made the remarks over the weekend during celebrations to mark International Day of Forests at Maragoli Hills in Vihiga county.

Despite this, the Prime Cabinet Secretary emphasised that the government would not take punitive measures against those who had already been recruited and deployed.

“But as a government, we know they are our people, and that is why I went to Russia to secure their return so that they go back to their families,” he said. “We do not want to take legal action against them because we want amnesty for them.”

Mudavadi revealed that Kenya has already secured the return of dozens of its citizens who had been caught up in the conflict.

“We have been trying, and we have managed to get 47 from the war,” he said, without providing details on the conditions under which they were recruited or deployed.

He also disclosed that Kenya had reached an understanding with Russian authorities to prevent future recruitment of Kenyans into its military ranks.

“We have agreed with Russia that they will never again recruit Kenyans into their military,” Mudavadi stated.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary expressed concern that many of the young Kenyans who travelled to join the conflict did so without fully understanding the nature or cause of the war.

“Our youth got into a war they did not know the cause. Some have lost their lives,” he said.

However, the exact number of Kenyans who may have died while fighting for Russian forces remains unclear, and Russian authorities have not formally addressed the reports.

Mudavadi urged young Kenyans seeking employment opportunities abroad to exercise caution and seek guidance from government agencies before making such decisions.

“I want to insist to our youth, if they want to get a job abroad, just make sure you get advice from the Department of Diaspora and the Ministry of Labour before boarding a plane to a place you do not know or understand,” he said.