A Kenyan family is appealing for answers and assistance to repatriate the body of their 29-year-old relative who was killed in Ukraine while fighting on the Russian side.
Clinton Nyapara Mogesa left Kenya in 2024 after securing what he believed was a job opportunity in Qatar. He later informed his family that he was travelling onward to Russia. On Saturday, Ukrainian authorities announced that Mogesa had been killed in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, during what they described as a “meat assault” a military attack characterised by heavy casualties.
According to Ukrainian officials, Mogesa had been recruited while in Qatar and sent into combat. They said Russian forces did not evacuate his body and that he was found carrying the passports of two other Kenyans. His death has intensified concerns about the recruitment of Kenyan nationals to fight in the Ukraine war.
Mogesa’s cousin, Vincent Okemwa, said the family was initially unable to believe the news. He explained that Mogesa’s brother first learned of the death through a colleague with a relative in Russia, before the information became public. Okemwa told the BBC’s Newsday programme that Mogesa had kept in touch after moving from Qatar to Russia and remained in contact during three weeks of military training there.
However, communication stopped after the training period, with the last contact recorded on 28 October. Okemwa said the family has been left devastated by the loss, describing their situation as “pathetic.” He added that Mogesa’s father had sold land to fund his son’s travel to Qatar, viewing him as the family’s hope for a better future.
“He had good plans for the family and now everything has been shattered,” Okemwa said.
Family members say they have received no official communication from either Kenyan or Russian authorities since Mogesa’s death. His brother, Joel Mogere, told local broadcaster Citizen TV that the loss had deeply shocked the family, describing Mogesa as the youngest child, the main breadwinner and their greatest hope.
His mother, Mellen Moraa, said she relies on medication for diabetes, which her son had been paying for. “I don’t know what to do,” she said, appealing to the Kenyan government for help.
The Kenyan government said last month that 18 Kenyans who had been fighting in Russia were rescued and repatriated. However, it has not confirmed any deaths of Kenyan nationals in Ukraine. Rights group Vocal Africa said last week it was tracking at least 18 cases of Kenyans who were either dead or missing, warning that the true number could be higher.
In November, Kenya’s foreign minister said around 200 Kenyans were known to be fighting for Russia and that recruitment networks remained active. Similar cases have been reported in other African countries, where young people are allegedly lured with promises of well-paid jobs in Russia that later lead to military recruitment.
Ukraine’s intelligence services estimate that more than 1,400 fighters from 36 African countries have been recruited to support Russian forces. Ukraine has also faced criticism in the past for attempting to recruit foreign nationals, including Africans, to fight on its side.
Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly warned that anyone fighting for Russia would be treated as an enemy combatant, with surrender being the only safe exit. On Saturday, Ukraine’s intelligence agency again cautioned foreign nationals against travelling to Russia or accepting work there, warning that such moves carry a serious risk of forced deployment to frontline assault units with little chance of survival.
