The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has warned Kenyans about a web of international human traffickers working with local recruitment agencies to move desperate Kenyans to Asia.
In August, the ministry stated that it was “overwhelmed” by distress calls from citizens who were duped into accepting jobs in the South East Asian region that did not exist by a suspected human trafficking ring.
According to the ministry, Kenyans looking for work abroad are being duped into falling into traps that include a 90-day visa, hotel accommodations, and a return ticket that is canceled immediately after the victims depart.
At this point, the victims are placed in the hands of local networks in those locations, who then transport them to other locations while confiscating their passports, which remain in the possession of the criminal gangs.
“The decoyed to textile “factories” to engage in criminal activities, under the watchful eyes of armed men and “factory” owners,” according to the ministry.
According to the ministry, the victims are being held captive in areas of high insecurity and civil strife, making access and rescue efforts difficult.
Despite the well-publicized traps of unscrupulous jobs, large numbers of Kenyans are still looking for work in ASEAN countries, risking their lives.
The government announced in September that it was forced to rescue citizens in danger in countries such as Myanmar. Other countries that have received distress calls from Kenyans stuck there include Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
According to Kenya, majority of them are young women who end up engaging in illegal activities, such as being smuggled into Myanmar for ‘dirty’ jobs in a country now led by an isolated military junta.
At the same time, the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK) estimated that approximately 10,000 Kenyans seeking migrant jobs in Saudi Arabia had graduated from the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) certified pre-departure course in Nairobi.
The training, which began in 2018, is provided to potential migrant workers once they have secured jobs and are prepared to travel and work abroad.
The program’s goal is to close gaps in the sector and eliminate human trafficking, but it still has a long way to go.
