The Kenyan government has launched a multi-agency probe into a Russian national accused of secretly recording videos of interactions with Kenyan women without their consent, following the videos going viral online last weekend. Gender, Culture, and Children Services Cabinet Secretary Hanna Wendot Cheptumo condemned the act and urged victims to seek counseling and legal aid via hotline 1195. The investigation involves international collaboration to pursue justice under relevant laws.
Over the weekend, numerous videos surfaced online showing a Russian national interacting with Kenyan women in various locations, including churches, and persuading them to accompany him. In the footage, the man approaches the women and coerces them to follow him, though it remains unclear what transpired afterward, with some purported victims sharing differing accounts.
On February 16, 2026, the Ministry of Gender, Culture, and Children Services issued a statement condemning the "disturbing incident" in which a foreign national allegedly secretly recorded and circulated intimate images of Kenyan women without their consent. Cabinet Secretary Hanna Wendot Cheptumo stated that filming without consent directly violates personal dignity and privacy as enshrined in the constitution.
The ministry's statement read: "The Ministry of Gender, Culture, and Children Services strongly condemns the disturbing incident..." and added that the government is coordinating a "whole-of-government response" involving security, investigative, and prosecutorial agencies.
Unverified reports suggest the man may have used smart glasses, possibly Ray-Ban Meta, to capture the encounters undetected. Such actions are not limited to Kenya; governments in Ghana and Nigeria have received similar online complaints and ordered investigations.
CS Wendot warned against sharing the videos to prevent additional psychological harm to victims and emphasized policies for online protection against digital abuse. The probe is being pursued urgently with international collaboration, and any culprits will face the full force of Kenyan law under the Penal Code, the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, and other statutes protecting women and children.
