Did Festus Omwamba Take the Fall? The Puzzle of a Senator’s Ouster and a Call to the CS

Festus Arasa Omwamba, the 33-year-old director of Global Face Human Resource Ltd, sits in police custody, accused of masterminding a scheme that sent more than 1,000 Kenyans to the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war.

He was arrested on February 2 at the Moyale border crossing as he attempted to re-enter the country. But as the net tightens around the man facing charges at Kibra Law Courts, a more complex political puzzle is emerging from the shadows — one that leads directly to the ouster of nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba and raises the spectre of high-level government protection.

While Omwamba faces charges of human trafficking and fraudulent recruitment, commentaries suggest he may be a pawn in a much larger game.

The trail leads from war-torn Ukraine to the corridors of power in Nairobi, and with it, a disturbing question: Was Omwamba set up as a fall guy for a more powerful syndicate — and was the removal of Senator Orwoba a calculated move to stop her from exposing the truth?

The Complaint That Killed a Senator’s Career

The most startling element of this puzzle is not Omwamba’s alleged recruitment network alone, but his role in having Senator Orwoba ejected from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in May 2025.

The party claimed she was expelled for “gross disloyalty,” citing her attendance at a homecoming ceremony for former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, a perceived opposition figure.

But the timing — and the identity of the complainant — tell a more compelling story.

Festus Omwamba appearing before a parliamentary committee probing ‘Kazi Majuu’ scandal.

It was Omwamba, alongside one Henry Muriithi, who lodged the disciplinary complaint that triggered her expulsion.

The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) later described that complaint as appearing to have been “spun from thin air,” noting it was unsigned, undated, and lacked a valid affidavit. Despite the shoddy paperwork, the UDA machinery moved with alarming speed to eject the senator from Parliament.

Why would a man now described by investigators as a key player in a human trafficking syndicate be so invested in silencing a lawmaker?

A Senator Who Asked Too Many Questions

The answer lies in the months preceding her expulsion.

Orwoba had become a persistent thorn in the side of the Labour Ministry, then under Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua. She had petitioned the Senate to investigate the growing number of Kenyans being duped by rogue recruitment agencies promising lucrative jobs abroad, and was specifically demanding accountability from the National Employment Authority.

That oversight role turned ugly. In a letter to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, CS Mutua accused Orwoba of harassing ministry officials, extorting agencies, and threatening him personally.

He claimed she had declared during a phone call, “Kasongo is going down” — an apparent reference to President William Ruto — and vowed to bring the CS down with her. Mutua alleged she was using her parliamentary position to push jobs for constituents in Bobasi while simultaneously undermining the government’s labour mobility programme.

Orwoba hit back.

She accused the ministry of presiding over a system in which thousands of young Kenyans lost their life savings chasing jobs that did not exist. She claimed her calls for accountability were met with threats of expulsion. “I have been threatened with being kicked out as a senator due to my resolve to champion the interests of thousands of youths conned of millions of shillings in this government jobs programme. I am asking my detractors to bring it on,” she told a Senate committee.

Senator Orwoba.

They did. Within weeks, the complaint filed by Omwamba was ratified and Orwoba was out. Her removal effectively silenced one of the most vocal voices probing the very industry in which Omwamba allegedly operated.

The Airport Call

The connection between Omwamba and powerful figures is further illuminated by a dramatic incident at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), as reported by Africa Intelligence.

A recruit identified only as Jacob was stopped by border police who suspected he was being trafficked to a war zone, not embarking on an athletic career. Standing alongside Jacob were Omwamba and his associate, Mikhail Lyapin — a Russian national who was later deported in connection with the recruitment scandal.

According to the account, an agitated Omwamba made a series of phone calls. One of them, he allegedly claimed, was to CS Mutua. Minutes later, the recruit was reportedly cleared for departure. When pressed, Omwamba denied placing the call to the minister, saying he “only worked with the cabinet secretary for a Qatar contract” and had not involved him in any other matters. CS Mutua, when contacted by Africa Intelligence, dismissed questions about his links to Omwamba, calling them “inaccurate.”

The State House has not responded to queries. Whether or not the call took place, the perception of a direct line between an accused recruiter and a sitting Cabinet minister has deepened suspicions that the operation may have enjoyed political cover.

A Party Machine That Moved Fast

Omwamba’s political standing adds further weight to the theory. A registered UDA member, he was no fringe figure. His complaint against Orwoba was entertained by the party’s National Executive Committee, chaired by Governor Cecily Mbarire, and ratified by Secretary General Hassan Omar. This was not an anonymous tip-off; it was a formal party process initiated by a man who, months later, would be a fugitive from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

The PPDT ruling that ultimately nullified Orwoba’s expulsion described the process as “a clinical ouster in blatant disregard of the law, a political process masquerading as a procedural moment.” The decision was reversed — but the damage was done. Orwoba had lost her seat, and the momentum of her investigations was broken.

The Bigger Question

Now, with Omwamba in custody, the question is whether he represents the end of the road for investigators — or only the beginning. Was he the kingpin, or the front man for a network that reached far higher? His alleged call to a cabinet minister, his successful move against the senator investigating his trade, and the opaque dealings of his licensed agency all point to a conspiracy bigger than one man.

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The DCI and intelligence services estimate that close to 1,000 Kenyans were funnelled into the conflict, with dozens reported killed, maimed, or missing.

As Omwamba sits in the dock at Kibra Law Courts, Kenyans are left with one question: Is he the spider — or just another fly caught in a web of power, politics, and blood money?