Kenyan Police Service officers have rescued 70 foreigners who were being held inside a house in Ruai, Nairobi.
The group included 66 Ethiopians and 4 Eritreans, who police say were being smuggled through Kenya on their way to another country. Police arrested one Kenyan suspect believed to be involved in the trafficking network.
Human trafficking continues to be a problem in the region. The crisis is compounded by attempts by nationals from neighbouring countries to flee economic hardship or conflict in search of better opportunities. Police are urging the public to stay alert and report anything suspicious.
UN Report Warns Kenya Remains Key Transit Route for Traffickers
Kenya has been playing a concerning role as a transit route for human trafficking in East Africa, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, which looked at patterns from 2019 to 2023, showed that traffickers still use Kenya as a passageway for moving vulnerable migrants across the region.
The UNODC report also revealed that more than 2,000 trafficking victims were identified across East Africa in 2024.
Many of these victims were moved through Kenya as they tried to travel to Europe or the Middle East in search of jobs. Unfortunately, many later discovered that the job offers were fake and part of trafficking schemes.
Also Read: Kenyan Ex-Prisons Officer Reportedly Killed on Frontlines of Russian-Ukraine War
Suspect Linked to Trafficking Kenyans to Russia-Ukraine Recruitment
On February 26, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a man described as a wanted human trafficker and a central figure in a syndicate accused of luring up to 1,000 Kenyans with false promises of well‑paying overseas jobs, many of whom were later coerced into fighting on Russia’s frontlines in the Ukraine war.
Festus Omwamba, a man linked to the recruitment of Kenyans to the Russia-Ukraine war, was arrested by detectives from Moyale Police Station near the Kenya–Ethiopia border as he attempted to flee shortly after returning from Russia.
According to the DCI, “Festus is believed to be a key player in a more extensive human trafficking syndicate that exploits vulnerable individuals by promising them legitimate employment opportunities in European countries.”
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