The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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A Kenyan family is seeking answers and assistance to repatriate the body of their 29-year-old relative, Clinton Nyapara Mogesa, who was killed in Ukraine while fighting for Russia.
Mogesa had left Kenya in 2024 for work in Qatar, but his family later learned he had travelled to Russia.
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On Saturday, Ukrainian authorities reported that he died in a high-casualty attack, known as a “meat assault,” in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. They said Russian forces did not recover his body and noted that he was carrying the passports of two other Kenyans.
His death has heightened concerns about Kenyans being recruited to fight in the Ukraine war.
Speaking to Citizen TV, Mogesa’s brother Joel said the family had sold land to raise funds for his travel to Qatar. He described his brother as the youngest in the family, “the breadwinner and the hope of this family.”
His mother, Mellen Moraa, who is diabetic, said Mogesa supported her medical needs and cared for the family. She appealed to the government for help.
Last month, the Kenyan government reported rescuing and repatriating 18 Kenyans who had been fighting for Russia.
In November, the foreign minister said around 200 Kenyans were known to be fighting for Russia, with recruitment networks still active.
Across Africa, reports have emerged of young people being lured with promises of well-paying jobs in Russia, which later led to military recruitment.
Ukraine’s intelligence estimates that over 1,400 individuals from 36 African countries have been recruited to fight for Russia. The agency has warned that anyone fighting for Russia will be treated as an enemy combatant, advising surrender as the only safe option.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s intelligence agency cautioned foreign nationals against travelling to Russia or accepting employment there, especially informal or illegal jobs, stating that such travel carries “a real risk of being forcibly deployed to assault units with little or no training and minimal chances of survival.”
