Uasin Gishu family seeks govt's help to repatriate kin who died in Russia-Ukraine war

Arusei is said to have died on the frontline in April this year, and his body remains in Russia. The family says he was lured into the conflict after travelling abroad in search of employment and is now asking the government to intervene and bring his remains home.

A sombre mood has engulfed Ilula Village as relatives, friends and neighbours gather to console the family following Arusei's death.

The family says Arusei left Kenya in 2022 for Qatar, where he secured employment. After completing his contract in the Gulf country, he travelled to Russia, where he reportedly joined the Russian military.

His mother, Josephine, said her son informed her in December that he had joined the Russian military and asked her to pray for him.

She said they remained in contact until March 31, when communication abruptly stopped.

A relative, Ken, said the family later sought assistance from a contact in Russia to establish Arusei's whereabouts. The contact eventually informed them on Saturday that their kin had died while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Arusei's death has left the family without its breadwinner. He had travelled abroad hoping to improve the family's living conditions and transform the lives of his loved ones.

The house he had been building for his mother now stands as a painful reminder of the future they had hoped to secure through his efforts.

The family is appealing to President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to intervene and facilitate the repatriation of his body.

His mother said the family had depended on him and was now relying on the government to help bring his remains home for burial.

Another relative, Vivian, also appealed to the President and Mudavadi to assist the family in giving Arusei a dignified send-off.

Photographs of Arusei remain among the few reminders of a loved one who left home in search of better opportunities but never returned alive.