Shock and sorrow have settled in Emanyi village in Kitutu Chache North, Kisii County, after residents learned that Dennis Bagaka Ombwori, a 39-year-old man from their community, lost his life in the war in Ukraine.
The news has left his family and neighbours struggling to understand how a journey meant to improve his life ended in tragedy so far from home.
Dennis left Kenya believing he had secured a legitimate job opportunity in Qatar. According to his family, he was promised work as a security guard, a chance he hoped would help lift his loved ones out of hardship.
Instead, his path took a dangerous turn after he was allegedly lured into joining the Russian army, a decision his family says he never clearly explained to them.
Days after confirmation of his death, his homestead has been filled with mourners offering comfort, prayers, and questions that have no easy answers.
His father, John Ombwori, recalls that his son left home with hope and confidence, assuring them that everything would be fine.
The small family house now stands as a reminder of dreams that were never fulfilled.
His mother, Esther Ombwori, is overwhelmed with grief, mourning a son who died in a war he never told them he would be part of.
To her, the distance and silence surrounding his final days have made the pain even deeper.
Relatives say Dennis was a former Kenya Defence Forces officer, which may have made him a target for recruiters looking for men with military experience. His brother, Alfred Morara, says they were told there were better jobs ahead, with no mention of fighting in a war zone.
Neighbours, like Alice Siro, share the family’s pain and are appealing to the government for help, saying the family has been left with nothing but grief.
Musalia Mudavadi has warned young people to be cautious about such offers, while activists question how so many Kenyans could be recruited without notice.
Although some agencies say travel to Russia is voluntary, Dennis’s death highlights the heavy human cost. His family is now pleading for government support to locate and bring his body home, so they can lay him to rest with dignity.
