A family in Homa Bay County is in distress after their son, a former Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer, went missing in Russia under unclear circumstances.
Richard Omondi, aged 30, is said to have disappeared after traveling abroad in search of better opportunities.
According to his family, Omondi last communicated with them on August 7, 2025, through Facebook Messenger.
In his final message, he assured them that he was safe but admitted he was going through a difficult situation, saying “it is not easy.”
Since then, all communication stopped suddenly, leaving his family worried about his safety.
Omondi previously served in the KDF for seven years and was based at the Nanyuki Barracks. However, his military career came to an end in 2022 after he was dismissed from service.
After leaving the force, he reportedly struggled to find a stable source of income, a situation that pushed him to look for opportunities outside the country.
Family members say he left Kenya in July 2025 and traveled to Russia through Turkey.
At the time, they believed he was going for work, but they now fear he may have unknowingly entered a dangerous environment.
Reports suggest that he might have been exposed to conflict areas, something his family says he may not have fully understood before traveling.
Before communication was lost, Omondi had shared photos of himself dressed in military-style clothing alongside a group of other individuals believed to be recruits.
Efforts by the family to trace him have not been successful so far.
They say they have tried reaching out through various channels, but no clear information about his whereabouts has been found.