A Senate hearing into the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military was adjourned on Tuesday after three government officials whose dockets are at the centre of the inquiry failed to appear. 

Prime Cabinet Secretary and CS Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi and Labour CS Alfred Mutua cited a cabinet meeting in Kisumu. The Attorney-General’s office said the AG was out of town. 

Seven relatives representing more than 800 affected families had travelled from Nyeri, Kericho, Nakuru and elsewhere to address a joint sitting of the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare and the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations.

Among them was Bibiana Wangari, whose son died after travelling to Russia, and Winnie Rose Wainaina, whose brother, Samuel Wainaina, has been missing since late October. Others told of relatives being held as prisoners of war in Ukraine or disappearing after being sent to the front.

Information before the committees indicated that more than 1,000 Kenyans may have been recruited into foreign military service. A raid at Great Wall Gardens in Athi River uncovered 22 people being processed for travel to Russia by two alleged Kenyan handlers.

Recruiters reportedly lure victims with promises of Russian citizenship and salaries of about KSh350,000 a month, with bonuses of up to KSh1.2m. Some recruits were allegedly stripped of their identity documents after arriving in Russia and forced into military service.

Sen Karungo Thang’wa (Kiambu) said receiving evidence from the families without the CSs present would be “an academic exercise”. Agreeing, Sen Joe Nyutu (Murang’a) insisted the relevant State Officers needed to be present as the petitioners presented their cases.

The families supported an adjournment, saying they wanted to engage the officials “eye to eye”.

The hearing was postponed to 29 September 2026 to ensure the relevant CSs and AG are present to respond to the petitioners and answer questions over the recruitment of Kenyans into foreign military service, the agencies involved and the steps being taken to secure the release and safe return of those affected.