Kenyan General Service Unit (GSU) officer, Peter Maina Gakau, aged around 32–33 years, has reportedly been gunned down after sending Ksh 1million to his family.
Speaking to the media, the family of Peter Maina Gakau confirmed that he was killed while fighting on the Russian side in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Gakau’s mother, Marion Njeri, spoke in an emotional interview, saying the family had been in regular contact with him for the first three months after he arrived in Russia, and after those initial three months, Peter Maina reportedly went completely silent, and the family had no further contact until learning of his death.
Additionally, he had also briefed his family that his belongings, including his identification documents, passport, and phone, had been lost in a fire.
“We spoke with him for three months, and he told me that he lost all his documents, including IDs, passport, and phone, to a blaze. Since then, he received no payment… Since then, we have not seen him,” the mother painfully recounted.
She explained that during that period, Peter Maina sent KSh 1 million home to help buy land, planning for his future return.
“When he arrived there in Russia, he sent me one million shillings…… he told me to go and buy land for him. He was planning his future life, saying he would come back with a lot of money. Now he is dead, and we don’t even know,” she narrated to Citizen TV.
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On January 28, we were told that our child was shot,” Njeri added.
Peter Maina Gakau’s Family Appeals to the Government
Another family member said Gakau had been a GSU officer stationed in Embu and had taken leave, claiming he was going abroad for an opportunity.
They were later informed that he had joined the Russian army and was killed.
“He took leave, saying he was going abroad for an opportunity. But we received information that he joined the Russian army and was killed,” he narrated.
Also Read: Over 1,000 Kenyans Trafficked to Fight in Russia-Ukraine War, NIS Report Reveals
The family said he had been targeted by recruiters promising money or better prospects but ended up as a frontline fighter.
The family has called on the Kenyan government to assist in repatriating Gakau’s body so he can be buried with dignity.
They said they could not afford the costs of bringing him home and urged authorities to intervene as a matter of urgency.
“We are begging the government to help us… We beg to bring our son’s body home. We cannot afford the costs of repatriating his body. He went after being promised a normal job, but they took him to the war front. Now he is dead, and we don’t even know where he is,” the mother pleaded.
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