On Saturday, October 4, 2025, Arrestus Nyale sat down his wife, Pauline Dume, and son, Rayson, at their Junda Ng’ombeni home in Kisauni constituency.
He had important news to tell them, news that he hoped would excite them, as it would potentially turn their lives around.
Rayson had completed his Form 4 at Kilifi Township Secondary School in 2024 but was yet to join college because of lack of fees.
The 38-year-old father of one’s small stall in Kongowea market, where he sold new clothes, was not generating enough money to take his 19-year-old son to college.
And so when the plan he had been making in silence had gone through and he was awaiting only the travel date exactly a week later, he decided it was time to let his family in on his plans.
He had secured a job as a driver at a company in Moscow, Russia, where he would make significantly more than he was making from his clothes business at Kongowea market.
Or so he thought.
He was in the fifth batch of three, who were supposed to travel on October 11. However, two of the three refused to travel at the last minute and so Nyale traveled alone.
“When he reached Moscow, via Sharjah, he texted and said he had found a fellow Chonyi, a Swahili, a Luhya among other Kenyans in the place. There were also other people from other African countries including Tanzanians, Nigerians, Ugandans, among others. He said they were over 1,000 people,” Dume narrated at their Junda home.
She said she did not know which recruitment agent her husband was dealing with, otherwise she would have been to their offices to demand answers.
“Now, we don’t know whether he is alive or not. He told us they were all taken for military training for three months and that the driver job he thought he was going to do was not available,” Dume said.
She said Nyale communicated frequently at first when he arrived in the cold Moscow, but communication suddenly stopped on November 8, when he last texted.
“He first called when he just landed in Moscow. That was when I knew he was in Russia. I did not even know which country he was going to until he called after reaching Moscow,” Dume said.
“From then we were communicating daily and he was sending us pictures of himself and his colleagues in military fatigues. He said they underwent medicals and some found to be unfit were sent back home,” Dume said.
Nyale had boarded the AirArabia G0735 flight from Nairobi to Sharjah in the UAE before connecting with AirArabia G9805 flight to Moscow knowing he was going to sign a six-month contract, only to arrive be told he could only sign a one-year or two-year contract. There were no six-month contracts.
Nyale told his wife they were being trained night and day, with one hour rests in between.
That was the only time they slept.
His last communication was via text message on November 8 at 9.05am Kenyan time.
“Morning. How was your night? Has mzee returned or not,” was the last text Nyale sent.
Dume replied in the negative at 11.22am, from which time messages to his phone were not delivered.
Nyale had worked as a local bodyguard-cum-tour guide for a Russian man in Mombasa.
“My worry is the lack of communication. If there was communication, I would not have any problems. But right now I don’t know whether he is alive or not,” she said.
Relatives and neighbours say Nyale is probably fighting for Russia in the Ukraine war owing to the military fatigues he wears in the photos he sent home.
Rayson said he misses his father. “We feel lonely because we used to be the three of us every night talking and now we are only two, and we are worried,” the 19-year-old said.
Nyale’s sister, Priscah Mwaka said she did not know about Nyale’s plans until his wife Dume informed her after he had left.
“He only personally informed me of his job in Moscow in November,” Mwaka said.
They called on the government to ensure his safe return to Kenya if he is still alive.
Human rights activists Walid Sketty of Vocal Africa and Francis Auma of Muhuri said it was illogical for Kenyans to be recruited to fight a war between countries with diplomatic ties with Kenya without the knowledge of the Kenyan authorities.
“We are demanding the immediate repatriation of Arrestus Nyale in whatever state. It is now three months since he was gone. It is a big concern for the family,” Sketty said.
He criticised the Foreign Affairs ministry for its perceived inaction over the participation of Kenyans in the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Statistics show that more than 200 Kenyans are participating in that war which has nothing to do with them or Kenya,” Sketty said.
Auma noted that the licenses of all recruitment agencies must be revoked and a fresh vetting be conducted so as to issue new licenses.
“We can no longer sit and watch as Kenyans are sold as slaves to the highest bidders,” he said.
by BRIAN OTIENO
