Five Kenyan detectives in Botswana for US-led training to combat human trafficking
The training is being conducted at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Otse, Botswana.
As cross-border trafficking rings grow more complex, five Kenyan detectives have joined peers from seven African nations in Botswana for a US-led training aimed at enhancing regional cooperation and investigative capacity against human trafficking.
The five are part of a total of 40 detectives from specialized units amongst them, the anti-human trafficking, child protection unit, and the economic crimes unit of the DCI who will up their skills in effective application of law enforcement tools, victim identification and protection, and close collaboration with victims' service providers and others that will be offered by Special Agents from US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
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The training is scheduled for this week at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Otse, Botswana.
"This training targets at least 40 officers drawn from units across the country, and others from Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Gabon, Mauritius, and Lesotho. The training focuses on refining practical investigative skills and deepening understanding of trafficking dynamics," a dispatch from the US Embassy in Nairobi says.
Though Kenya has demonstrated significant efforts in combating human trafficking, including implementing a victim identification screening tool for diplomatic missions, adopting a 2022-2027 National Action Plan (NAP), and increasing funding for anti-trafficking activities, it is still considered a key human trafficking route smuggling of migrants, both regionally and internationally due to its due to its stability, strategic geographic location, porous borders, and well-developed transport infrastructure make it a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Kenya is described as a country of origin due to socio-economic reasons, with the Coastal region being amongst the regions most known as major destinations as well as origin for human trafficking due to both push and pull factors.
The organisation has in the past documented that internal trafficking occurs within the country mainly for purposes of domestic labour and sexual exploitation, while international or cross-border trafficking occurs for purposes of forced labour, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation
"Child trafficking constitutes the main category of cases reported in the country, and children are trafficked to work as domestic labourers and in farming, fisheries and begging. They are also trafficked for sex work, particularly on the coast," it notes in an earlier report.
Efforts by the state have, amongst others, seen the Counter Trafficking in Persons Secretariat under the Department of Children's Services make efforts and record achievements in addressing and identifying areas of response, mitigation and prevention.
At the sametime, in December last year, an umbrella body that brought together non-state actors involved in the eradication of Human Trafficking and smuggling of people in Kenya including trade unions, NGOs, private sector players, faith based organisations and individuals dubbed Network Against Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants (NAHUSOM) was launched to collaborate efforts towards making the country hostile to traffickers and smugglers, thus complimenting the role played by government towards ending the crime.
The network was established following revelations by the state that trends were showing that there is a rise in human trafficking in the country.
"By enhancing the capacity of law enforcement personnel to combat trafficking in persons, this training contributes to the broader goals of safeguarding human rights, disrupting transnational organised crime networks, and strengthening partnerships between the United States and Kenya to address shared challenges," the dispatch adds.
ILEA Academy is one of Africa's top institutions for law enforcement training and regional security cooperation.
It is a joint initiative between the United States and the Government of Botswana that is supported by the US Department of State through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
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