Muturi condemns trafficking of Kenyan youth to fight in Russia-Ukraine war
By Kiprono Keileb, February 8, 2026Former Attorney General and Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Justin Muturi has expressed deep concern over reports that young Kenyans are losing their lives in foreign conflicts, saying the situation is both tragic and unacceptable. He called on the government to act urgently to protect citizens being lured abroad under false pretences.
In a statement shared on X on Sunday, February 8, 2026, Muturi highlighted that many of the affected youth are ordinary Kenyans seeking employment and dignity, who instead find themselves caught in deadly wars far from home.
“Kenyans are watching in pain as reports continue to emerge of our young men losing their lives in a foreign war that has absolutely nothing to do with our nation or our interests. These are not trained soldiers. These are ordinary young Kenyans who, in their desperate search for employment and dignity, are lured with promises of jobs in Gulf countries, only to find themselves trafficked into a deadly battlefield between Russia and Ukraine. This is not just tragic, it is unacceptable,” part of Muturi’s statement on X reads.
He questioned how the government continues to sit idle as families suffer the uncertainty of not knowing whether their children are alive or dead.
“How did we reach a point where Kenyan youth are being exported as cannon fodder? How does a government sit comfortably while parents bury their sons or remain trapped in endless anguish, not knowing whether their children are alive or dead? The silence from the Kenya Kwanza administration is deafening. The continued failure by President William Ruto’s government to address this matter, to demand accountability, or to offer protection to Kenyan citizens abroad is a gross betrayal of public trust,” Muturi stated.
Muturi emphasized that the government has a duty to safeguard its citizens, both at home and abroad, and said the trafficking of youth must be stopped immediately.
“The primary duty of any government is to safeguard the lives and welfare of its citizens, whether within or beyond its borders. When Kenyan youth are being deceived, trafficked, and sacrificed in foreign conflicts, the State must act swiftly and decisively. We cannot normalise this horror. We cannot watch helplessly as families are torn apart while those entrusted with leadership choose silence over action,” he stated.
He called for immediate investigation into recruitment syndicates and for diplomatic engagement to ensure the safe return of the affected Kenyans.
“For how long must Kenyan parents continue to cry? For how long will this administration turn a blind eye as our youth are lost in wars that are not ours? The government must urgently investigate these recruitment syndicates, engage diplomatically to secure the safety and return of affected Kenyans, and take full responsibility for protecting its citizens wherever they may be,” he wrote.
Muturi concluded by emphasising the value of Kenyan lives and the need for leadership that protects the nation’s youth.
“Kenyan lives matter. Our youth are not expendable. The nation deserves leadership that values and defends its people without hesitation or excuse,” he conluded.