Inside the Russian Mercenary Network Recruiting Kenyans for War

Festus Arasa Omwamba, a 33-year-old Kenyan national, is facing allegations of running fraudulent schemes and facilitating the recruitment of Kenyans into Russia’s military, as multiple investigations close in on his activities.

Authorities claim that Omwamba, through his unlicensed company Global Face Human Resource Ltd, worked with contacts in Moscow to recruit nearly 1,000 Kenyans to take part in the Russia-Ukraine war. Intelligence reports presented to Parliament state that recruits were promised signing bonuses of between Sh910,000 and Sh1.2 million. 

The payments reportedly attracted a range of applicants, including former police officers and members of the armed forces. According to investigators, the company arranged accommodation, assisted recruits to open bank accounts and organised travel through countries including Turkey and the United Arab Emirates before transferring them to Russia. 

The matter is under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the National Intelligence Service, which have both taken action. The NIS has issued a stop order against Omwamba, citing his alleged involvement in sending citizens into combat.

Omwamba denies the claims. He maintains that his firm only secured civilian employment for a limited number of individuals and insists that many Kenyans enlisted in the Russian military independently. He has further alleged that some recruits deserted after receiving signing bonuses and later told embassies they had been trafficked.

Separate court proceedings have also placed him under scrutiny. In a case involving the estate of John Migwi Mwangi, records show that Omwamba’s company, Aspect Group Holdings, entered into a settlement agreement with Mwangi in July 2024. It later emerged that Mwangi had died more than a year earlier. The High Court dismissed the case, describing it as a potential attempt to attach the bank accounts of a deceased person, and referred the matter to the DCI for investigation.

Omwamba has also been active in party politics. As a registered member of the United Democratic Alliance, he filed a petition seeking the removal of nominated senator Gloria Orwoba. The decision was upheld by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal and later affirmed by the High Court. Omwamba subsequently acknowledged that personal differences had influenced his actions.

He has said he has been working in Russia as a supervisor for a cleaning company and plans to return to Nairobi in March, when the High Court is scheduled to hear his application for anticipatory bail. His return is expected to coincide with further legal proceedings related to the ongoing investigations.