Justin Muturi speaks after Kenyans die in Russia-Ukraine war
By David Nthua, February 8, 2026Former Attorney General Justin Muturi has told the Ruto-led government to stop exporting Kenyans to die abroad.
In a lengthy post on X on Sunday, February 8, 2026, Muturi regretted what he described as the government’s loud silence as reports continue to emerge of Kenyans being killed while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Youth sent to die
Muturi said ordinary young Kenyans, who leave the country in search of dignity and employment, are allegedly being lured with promises of jobs in Gulf countries, only to end up trafficked into a deadly foreign battlefield.
He argued that most of those affected are not trained soldiers but civilians deceived into fighting in a war that has nothing to do with Kenya.
“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,” Muturi wrote.
“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, only to find themselves trafficked into a deadly battlefield,” he added.
The former AG questioned how the country reached a point where its youth are, in his words, being exported as cannon fodder, while parents are left to bury their sons or live with the torment of not knowing whether their children are alive or dead.
“The silence from the Kenya Kwanza administration is deafening,” Muturi said.
He has also accused President William Ruto’s government of failing to demand accountability or offer protection to Kenyans abroad.
Families demand action
Muturi’s remarks come amid growing anguish among families affected by the conflict.
Recently, a Kenyan man killed in the Russia-Ukraine war was buried in Mukurweini without his body, deepening public anger and grief.
Other families have complained of little or no information about their loved ones who travelled abroad for work.
Survivors have also spoken out, with one Kenyan recounting how he was tricked into believing he had secured a driving job, only to be trained for combat and forced to the frontlines.
Activists have raised concerns over recruitment syndicates operating both locally and abroad, questioning why no arrests or summons have followed.
“The primary duty of any government is to safeguard the lives and welfare of its citizens, whether within or beyond its borders,” Muturi said.
He has called for urgent investigations into recruitment networks and diplomatic engagement to secure the safety and return of affected Kenyans.
He concluded by insisting that Kenyan lives matter and that the nation deserves leadership that values and defends its people, as families continue to cry out for government intervention after losing their kin abroad.