Kenya warns of “sophisticated menace” over citizens trafficked to Southeast Asia
Mudavadi said about 400 Kenyans have been lured by unscrupulous recruitment agents with promises of lucrative jobs in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar, only to end up in what he called "conditions akin to modern slavery."
Kenya has raised alarm over the growing trafficking of its citizens to Southeast Asia, describing the region as a "sophisticated menace" where job seekers are duped into cyber-scam networks and forced labour.
Addressing reporters in Nairobi on Wednesday, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi said about 400 Kenyans have been lured by unscrupulous recruitment agents with promises of lucrative jobs in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar, only to end up in what he called "conditions akin to modern slavery."
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"It is a sophisticated menace where our citizens, often lured by fraudulent job advertisements and agents purportedly in places like Thailand, are trafficked to South East Asia for exploitation—including forced labour, online scamming, illegal cryptocurrency trade, and even organ harvesting," Mudavadi said, flanked by senior foreign ministry officials.
Since July 2022, Kenya's embassy in Bangkok—which also covers Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia—has rescued and repatriated nearly 500 victims.
Another 126 Kenyans remain stranded, including 57 in Myanmar and 69 in Thailand, with some reportedly held by militia groups.
Mudavadi cited one case of a Kenyan man arrested in Thailand for re-entering the country with a fake immigration stamp after being previously rescued from a scam compound.
"This shows that some victims are no longer innocent—they become part of the criminal network," he noted.
The minister also warned that rescued individuals, trained in cybercrime, could pose a domestic security risk if they establish scam operations at home.
He called for a nationwide awareness campaign, stronger legal frameworks, and reintegration support for returnees.
Kenya has recently strengthened its presence in the region, announcing plans to open a new embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam—its fourth in Southeast Asia after Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Jakarta.
The move follows several high-profile consular cases, including the repatriation last month of a toddler from Indonesia whose mother faces imprisonment.
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