NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan authorities have arrested Festus Omwamba, 33, a key figure in a network that trafficked over 1,000 Kenyans to Russia, where many were forcibly conscripted into the military and deployed to Ukraine.
The arrest took place in Moyale, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Omwamba is believed to be a central operator in a human trafficking syndicate that lured Kenyans under the pretense of civilian jobs.
Omwamba founded Global Face Human Resources, a recruitment agency used to channel citizens to Russia. Many recruits had no military experience but were promised high-paying civilian positions, only to be coerced into signing contracts with the Russian army. Several media outlets, including AFP, have reported casualties among these conscripts.
Kenyan MP Kimani Ichung’wah revealed in parliament that intelligence reports indicate over 1,000 Kenyans were affected. Survivors returning home recounted being deceived: some expected sales or security jobs, while one was a high-level athlete, yet all were forced to fight in Ukraine.
An employee of Omwamba, Edward Gituku, is already facing prosecution for human trafficking. The Russian embassy in Kenya has denied the allegations, calling them “a dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign.”
