Kenya has been reported as the leading country in the illicit gold trade in East Africa, serving as a central transit and resale point for smuggled gold from neighbouring conflict-affected countries.
According to a recent report by SwissAid, Kenya’s role in this illicit trade has grown steadily over the past decade, with much of the gold ultimately reaching the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai.
“Most of the gold that is smuggled out of Kenya is shipped to Dubai and declared for import there,” the report said.
The report indicated that the country is a significant corridor for smuggling gold originating from South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Part of the gold that is smuggled out of South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and, to a lesser extent, Ethiopia and possibly Sudan, passes through Kenya before being re-exported,” the SwissAid report stated.
Kenya mentioned among other countries in gold smuggling
Despite official government data showing that only 672 kilograms of gold were exported from the country in 2023, SwissAid estimates that more than two tonnes leave the country annually through undeclared channels.
This disparity points to extensive smuggling operations that bypass state monitoring and undermine regulatory efforts.
SwissAid’s findings also highlight a concerning trend since 2019, Kenya has reported gold exports that surpass its domestic production and declared imports.
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Suggestively, Kenyan government is not only a point of exit for smuggled gold but also a recipient of illicit inflows, complicating the country’s mineral governance.
“In other words, one can be confident about the existence of sizeable outbound illicit gold flows because this gold resurfaces further down along the value chain and becomes visible there through official statistics,” the report explained
Most of this gold passes through the country and is re-exported, predominantly to the UAE, with possible secondary destinations including Uganda and Tanzania.
Other countries facing similar challenges
Official import records from Dubai reflect the presence of this gold, reinforcing the scale of illegal trade.
Within the East African region, Kenya is not alone in facing such challenges. The report notes that both Uganda and Rwanda list gold as a leading export, despite long-standing concerns about their involvement in exploiting resources from the DRC.
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Uganda, like Kenya, struggles with illegal artisanal mining and cross-border smuggling, which deprives governments of revenue and affects local communities.
In response to these findings and the growing concern over illicit mineral trade, the Kenyan government is taking steps to tighten control over the sector by establishing a dedicated police Unit.
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