Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called on Parliament to establish a dedicated emergency fund to assist Kenyan citizens caught up in the Russia-Ukraine war. Appearing before the Senate on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Mudavadi detailed ongoing diplomatic, scientific, and financial efforts to trace, support, and repatriate Kenyans recruited into foreign military operations.
The Foreign Affairs chief explained that the ministry currently lacks a specific budgetary allocation for international conflict interventions, forcing officials to reallocate existing operational funds to facilitate emergency evacuations.
“There is no law, no fund that is designated for this. And it is Parliament that allocates. So as of now, in the budgetary items, Parliament has not allocated any money for this kind of intervention,” Mudavadi told senators.
“So I hope when the fund proposal comes, we’ll get the support of Parliament so that we can have a fund that can intervene in cases of this nature.”
Calling for a sustainable policy framework, Mudavadi stated, “When we say it’s not a comprehensive effort. These are interventions. If we are going to have a comprehensive effort, we must have a long-term solution. The long-term solution is to eventually have a fund that can help us to intervene appropriately.”
Government Repatriates 62 Kenyans from Conflict Zone
Despite budgetary constraints, diplomatic personnel at the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow continue to coordinate ground operations to rescue affected citizens. To date, the government has reportedly facilitated the safe return of 62 Kenyans.
“We have already assisted 62 Kenyans to come home. And we continue to work with our missions in Moscow so that we can continuously assist as and when we have verified, and we have details,” Mudavadi stated.
Kenyans escaping the frontlines receive temporary housing and meals at the embassy in Moscow while state officials process their travel documents and flight logistics.
Pushing for Compensation and Prisoner Exchanges
Addressing the legal status of affected citizens, Mudavadi clarified that recruits signed private agreements with Russian entities without state involvement or government oversight. Nevertheless, the Ministry is actively verifying these contracts to help eligible families pursue financial compensation through official channels.
For Kenyans held in combat zones as prisoners of war, Kenya is leveraging diplomatic avenues to request their inclusion in ongoing prisoner-of-war exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
“Kenya does not have the capacity, militarily, to enter into a war zone in Russia or Ukraine. So Kenya has got to use diplomatic channels. It’s the only way,” Mudavadi explained.
Regarding casualties, the Foreign Affairs CS urged patience, pointing out the immense challenge of confirming deaths in active combat regions where bodies suffer severe damage from landmines and artillery.
“In certain instances, people are missing in action. So we are not; we cannot confirm whether they are dead or not dead. So the term used is missing in action until we can verify,” he said.
To prevent misidentification, Mudavadi said the ministry relies on forensic verification before arranging repatriation.
“This is a process. You could easily end up bringing bodies here that do not belong here. So it is both a diplomatic effort, a scientific effort, a resource-based effort, and a process that must be based on reality,” Mudavadi added.
Embassy Staffing and Legal Framework
The Foreign Affairs Ministry operates with a lean team of 10 personnel in Moscow, including the ambassador, six Kenyan officers, and local staff, who cover Russia’s vast geographic territory while the active conflict rages far from the capital.
Mudavadi reminded citizens that enlisting in foreign militaries without express executive clearance violates national law.
“It should also go on record that under the Penal Code, Section 58, it is illegal; it is criminal for a Kenyan to go and enlist in a foreign government without the consent of the President of the Republic of Kenya,” he warned.
However, the Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed that saving lives remains the government’s primary objective.
“Our mission is to help as many Kenyans as possible who may be on the front lines to come back home, and we really wish that you can have more coming home alive rather than dead.”
Clarifying visa processing procedures, Mudavadi noted that Kenya does not issue foreign travel permits for Russia.
“We do not issue visas for another country. If it is Russia, they’ll issue it through their mission. Kenya will issue Kenyan visas,” he stated.
The PCS assured that government continues to pursue diplomatic dialogue while pushing for legislative approval of the proposed intervention fund.
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