Kenyans Lured into Russia-Ukraine War: Families Seek Repatriation and Justice

Kenyans Recruited for Russia-Ukraine War

• 💔 Families of Kenyans fighting for Russia in the Ukraine invasion are demanding their loved ones be brought home.
• ⚠️ Hundreds of Africans, including many Kenyans, are believed to have been tricked into fighting, ending up on deadly front lines.
• 🚗 Some Kenyans were recruited under the false pretense of becoming drivers, only to be forced into the Russian military upon arrival in Moscow.
• 🤕 Reports indicate that injured soldiers were not allowed to leave the battlefield and had to escape to seek help, sometimes through their respective embassies.

Calls for Government Action and Investigation

• 🗣️ Families are urging the Kenyan government to help identify missing soldiers, ensure their salaries are paid, and investigate fake recruitment agencies operating in Nairobi.
• ⚖️ They believe the country for which their loved ones are fighting should take responsibility for any injuries or deaths and provide compensation.
• ✅ The Kenyan government states it has repatriated 28 Kenyans since December and is working on the issue, though Kenya had previously signed deals to send workers to Russia.

Other African News Briefs

• 🇳🇬 Nigeria's ex-oil minister is accused of taking bribes and luxury perks in exchange for favorable state contracts.
• 🚁 In Nigeria, the army claims to have rescued 11 people kidnapped in October after armed gangs were spotted by troops.
• 🇬🇧 Rwanda is suing the UK over stalled payments for a controversial agreement to take in migrants deported from the United Kingdom.
• 🇺🇬 Rights activists warn of crackdowns on civil life and rights in Uganda following the recent presidential election, with opposition figures and activists facing detention and exile.

White Farmers in Zimbabwe Seek Compensation

• 🇿🇼 White farmers in Zimbabwe are hiring a US lobbying firm to seek President Donald Trump's help in obtaining billions of dollars in compensation for land seized in the 2000s.
• 💰 The Zimbabwean government agreed in 2020 to pay $3.5 billion in compensation, but payments have been slow, with only $10 million allocated in the 2020 budget for a fraction of the affected farmers.
• 🇺🇸 The lobbying firm, Mercury Public Affairs, is working with the farmers without charge, a move that could complicate Zimbabwe's diplomatic relations with Washington.

South African Schools Implement Phone-Free Days

• 📱 Many South African schools are introducing phone-free days to combat classroom distraction, cyberbullying, and stunted social skills among students.
• 🧑‍🏫 Learners at a Cape Town high school have reported improved work and social environments, with increased concentration and interaction.
• 📈 The initiative follows research into attention deficit disorders, which have increased sharply in recent years.
• 🌍 While 400 South African schools have adopted this measure, activists aim for it to become mandatory nationwide.