Tragedy has struck the family of Peter Maina Gakau, a former General Service Unit officer, after it emerged that he was lured to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war with promises of a high salary.
Maina, 33, a father of two from Kasarani, reportedly left his post at Ego GSU Barracks in Embu to join Russian forces, only to be killed in the conflict.Official records show that Maina had been offered a salary of 450,000 shillings for his service.
His enlistment was confirmed when he sent a Russian military service number to his mother.
According to his contract, written in Russian, he had formally joined the Russian army, leaving his GSU post in Kenya for the foreign assignment.
The family continues to seek government assistance in tracing his body, as he remains one of the few Kenyans reportedly enticed to participate in the special military operation abroad.
Maina had stayed in touch with his family during the first few weeks of his deployment, but communication stopped suddenly.His mother later received the devastating news from one of his comrades confirming that he had been killed.
This revelation comes just days after Russia denied enlisting Kenyans for the conflict and following a parliamentary report naming companies allegedly involved in recruiting Kenyans for the war.
The case raises questions about how many Kenyan officers may have been enticed into fighting abroad while still drawing salaries at home.
The family and supporters are urging the Kenyan government to intervene and assist in recovering his remains and providing closure.