Githu defends State in war on trafficking

Attorney-General Githu Muigai at a past meeting. The AG says the government’s bid to curb human trafficking is on track. PHOTO | FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• According to the report, Kenya is a source, transit and destination for men, women and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking.
• The US report shows that a majority of Kenyans seeking employment overseas, especially in the Middle East, fall victim of forced labour and slavery. Thorough vetting of the recruitment laws has been proposed.

By JOHN NJAGI
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Attorney-General Githu Muigai says that the government’s bid to curb human trafficking is on track.

This is after the US State Department’s 2014 report indicated that Kenya was on its radar.

 

The country is categorised in the Tier 2 watchlist. This means that the government is doing little to tackle the menace, which has been blamed for modern-day slavery.

According to the report, Kenya is only two places away from becoming one of the worst offenders — a dubious distinction held by lawless countries such as Somalia and Afghanistan.
However, Prof Muigai said laws to curb the menace were being formulated by parliament, a sign that the State is committed to stop the illegal trade.

“Parliament’s website shows formation of laws is in progress,” he said.

The US State Department ranks countries in Tier 2 because although there are plans to tackle trafficking, they are hindered either by lack of political will to implement laws, or corruption and inefficiency by security agencies.

SOURCE, TRANSIT AND DESTINATION

According to the report, Kenya is a source, transit and destination for men, women and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking.

Police, immigration, and customs officials are blamed for allowing trafficked persons, especially from Ethiopia and Tanzania, to enter Kenya and engage in prostitution or street begging.
In the recent past, truckloads with illegal immigrants have been seized by police.

The government also rounded up illegal immigrants from Somalia in Eastleigh, Nairobi, under the Usalama Watch, following a series of bomb explosions in the city.

The US report shows that a majority of Kenyans seeking employment overseas, especially in the Middle East, fall victim of forced labour and slavery. Thorough vetting of the recruitment laws has been proposed.

The report says the government has maintained modest anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, though corruption and lack of understanding of human trafficking issues among police and other State agencies curtail prosecution of the offenders.

The Trafficking in Persons Advisory Committee, whose members were nominated in March 2014, is yet to start work due to failure by the government to fully implement the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act, which came into effect in October 2012, claims the report.

The country, says the report, has failed to fully comply with minimum standards for elimination of trafficking.

The State Department notes that there was a slight increase in people trafficked in Africa last year, at 10,096, compared to 10,043 in 2012.

Tanzania is in the same category as Kenya but Uganda and Ethiopia are not on the watchlist, because they had put in place more stringent laws to curb the vice. The first World Day against Trafficking was marked on July 30.