Government grants amnesty to Kenyans who joined Russian military

The Kenyan government has offered amnesty to citizens who enlisted in Russia's military operations against Ukraine, after securing an agreement with Moscow to halt the further recruitment of Kenyan nationals.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi announced the amnesty following bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on March 16, 2026.

The consultations, part of a broader visit from March 15 to 18, centred on the welfare of Kenyans drawn into Russia's Special Military Operations.

Under Section 68 of the Kenyan Penal Code, Cap 63, it is illegal for a Kenyan citizen to enlist in the military of any foreign state without written authorisation from the President.

The offence carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years, unless a court determines the enlistment was not voluntary.

The amnesty shields returning nationals from prosecution under that provision.

As of March 11, 2026, the Kenyan Mission in Moscow had identified 252 nationals involved in Russian military operations.

Of these, 44 have been repatriated, 11 are reported missing or killed in action, 38 are hospitalised in various Russian facilities under restricted access, and 160 remain actively deployed.

Those who have returned are undergoing psychological support and de-radicalisation programmes, Mudavadi said.

A Kenyan intelligence report published in February warned that more than 1,000 citizens had been recruited, five times the figure authorities had previously acknowledged.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister has separately estimated that more than 1,700 people from 36 African countries are fighting for Russia.

Many of those recruited were deceived.

Some were promised well-paid civilian jobs abroad and found themselves at the front line in Ukraine.

Kenyan lawmakers say rogue state officials colluded with human trafficking networks to facilitate the recruitment.

Mudavadi told the BBC last month that authorities had shut down more than 600 recruitment agencies suspected of luring citizens through false employment offers.

Mudavadi's deputy, Abraham Korir Sing'Oei, has described Russia's use of Kenyans as "cannon fodder" and called the practice unacceptable.

Families of those believed to be in Ukraine held a protest outside Parliament in Nairobi in February, pressing the government to act.

Under the Moscow agreement, Russia will place Kenya on a stop list, barring further enlistment of its nationals through the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Kenyans currently serving who wish to disengage will be safely repatriated.

Injured personnel will receive consular support, and arrangements will be made for the dignified return of deceased Kenyans, with compensation to be processed through diplomatic channels.

Lavrov did not publicly confirm the terms of the agreement at the joint press conference.

He said the Russian Defence Ministry was looking into cases of concern and maintained that all foreign nationals, including Kenyans, had enlisted voluntarily in full compliance with Russian law.

He added that under the contract terms, those who complete their service are free to leave.

Mudavadi acknowledged that the Ukraine conflict had complicated the bilateral relationship but said Kenya would not allow it to define the broader partnership.

"We do not want for any reason our partnership with Russia to be defined from the lens of the special operation agenda only," he said.

During the visit, both sides also discussed expanding trade, particularly in Kenyan tea, coffee and horticultural products.

Kenya exported USD 46 million worth of goods to Russia in 2024, against Russia's annual tea and coffee import bill of more than USD 1.5 billion, a gap Mudavadi said both governments want to close.

To address the recruitment problem at home, the government will roll out a nationwide awareness campaign called Linda Mkenya Majuu, aimed at educating citizens about legal employment channels abroad and warning against fraudulent recruiters.