When Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah took to the floor of the National Assembly on February 18, 2026, he didn’t just speak about statistics. He spoke about a “State within a State.” He described a shadow infrastructure that has turned the desperation of Kenya’s unemployed youth into a high-profit export for the Russian Ministry of Defense.
While the government has officially closed over 600 recruitment agencies in early 2026, Ichung’wah’s expose suggests that the most dangerous players are still operating from the shadows of high-end Nairobi apartments.
1. The “Great Wall” Blueprint
To understand the “rogue network,” one must look back at the September 2024 raids at the Great Wall Apartments in Nairobi. Detectives from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit found 21 men “awaiting processing.”
The Coordinator: Edward Kamau Gituku was arrested and linked to Global Face Human Resource Ltd and Ecopillars Manpower Ltd.
The Fee: Recruits were allegedly signing agreements to pay between $13,000 and $18,000 for visas and logistics—fees that many paid by selling family land or taking out predatory loans.
The Penalty: A 1% daily penalty was charged to those who couldn’t pay within 35 days, essentially enslaving the recruits before they even left Kenyan soil.
2. The Russian Embassy Connection: The Case of Mikhail Lyapin
Ichung’wah’s most explosive parliamentary claim involved the alleged complicity of foreign diplomats. He referenced the 2025 arrest of Mikhail Lyapin, a man reported to be an employee of the Russian Embassy in Nairobi.
The Denial: While the Russian Embassy insisted Lyapin was merely a “businessman,” Kenyan intelligence linked him directly to the recruitment of Kenyans for “security work” that ended in front-line combat.
The “Laundering” of Recruits: Ichung’wah alleged that Lyapin’s network used tourist visas to bypass the Ministry of Labor’s vetting, a loophole that allowed 1,000+ Kenyans to fly out under the radar as “visitors” to St. Petersburg.
3. The “Alabuga” Factory Trap
It’s not just men being sent to the trenches. Ichung’wah’s report also touched on the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia.
The Bait: Young Kenyan women were lured with promises of “hospitality” and “tech” jobs.
The Reality: They were found working in military drone production factories, manufacturing the very weapons used to strike Ukrainian cities.
The Coercion: Survivors report that their phones were confiscated and they were threatened with 10-year prison sentences for “breach of contract” if they tried to leave.
4. Why 1,000+? The Scale of the Crisis
While Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi has confirmed that about 27 Kenyans have been repatriated and 300 are trapped, Ichung’wah insists the real number exceeds 1,000.
“We are only seeing the ones who were captured or who died. There are hundreds more whose families are too scared to speak because they took loans from these rogue agents,” Ichung’wah stated.
Conclusion: A Government at War with Itself
The 2026 expose has created a “civil war” within the ruling coalition. On one side, Mudavadi’s ministry is trying to maintain “cordial relations” with Moscow. On the other, Ichung’wah is demanding a total freeze on Russian visas and the prosecution of high-ranking “cartels” within the government.
