Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ababu Namwamba has allayed fears of human trafficking gaining traction in the country.
The CAS spoke from New Delhi in India following reports there are Kenyan girls who have been forced to resort to ungodly ways to make a living after a promise of good jobs remained just as good as being said.
Three Kenyan girls lured to travel to India on the promise of good jobs lost their lives in the last one year.
One of the girls was killed in a hit and run accident and her body has been lying at a morgue in India.
“We lost one of the rescued girls in a hit-and-run road accident last week. We must get her remains back home as soon as we trace her family,” said the CAS.
Namwamba in an interview with Daily Nation noted that human trafficking was “rapidly taking root in Kenya, particularly exploiting the vulnerability of young Kenyan girls to lure them into forced prostitution and other inhuman and degrading activities in foreign lands.”
He said two other Kenyan girls have sought refuge at the Kenyan Embassy in India and plans are underway to bring them back home.
“The Kenyan High Commissioner Ambassador Florence Weche, Kenya Geneva-based ambassador Dr Stephen Ndung’u Karau and I have taken the initiative to ensure safe custody of the girls at the Embassy and they will return to the Country,” he said.
He expressed his shock stating that India has now become a new destination for organized criminal groups who are using unsuspecting girls to do ‘dirty jobs’.
“I’m petrified to learn that India is becoming a lucrative destination for our unsuspecting girls at the mercy of ruthless international criminal syndicates.
“These vile criminals threaten to blemish the very cordial and beneficial ties between our two nations,” he stated.
One of the two girls at the Kenyan Embassy in India, Alice (not her real name), said she went to India on the promise of a good job only to be introduced to prostitution.
“I was living in Mombasa when a local pastor introduced me to his wife. The woman told me she would help me secure a hotel job in India. She even agreed to help me process my travel documents and pay my transport, which she did,” she narrated.
But on arrival to India, her would-be employer “did not explain to me quite well my job description. He took me to a local club and just dumped me there.”
“I was so terrified and went back home. When I found him, he beat me up and threatened to throw me off the balcony. It was hell on earth. I had to endure for some time as I made attempts to bring it to the attention of the Kenyan Embassy,” she further stated according to Daily Nation.
Her colleague, Faith (not her real name) said he travelled to India on the promise of a well-paying computer job but was introduced to prostitution.
“He then took me to a local club and only asked me to take a seat and “smile” at men around and he left me there alone.”
Namwamba said the government will crackdown on the syndicate.
“Those culpable must be arrested, tried and severely punished to render justice and deter similar crimes. We are also sounding alarm to all Kenyans that human trafficking is very real and our citizens are vulnerable.
“We caution every citizen to cross-check with us at Foreign Affairs and with our respective missions abroad before you accept to travel to some strange destination on the promise of some imaginary Canaan. Not everything that glitters is diamond,” noted Namwamba.