Kenyans warned of rising human trafficking risks as festive travel begins, youth targeted

As festive activities begin, Kenyans are being urged to remain vigilant as they travel across the country, amid warnings of human traffickers targeting young, desperate and unemployed youth.

The caution follows a rise in irregular trafficking within Kenya and to other countries, where victims have been forced into labour, criminal activities or sexual exploitation.

Between February and April this year, the Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART) rescued 152 Kenyans from Myanmar.

On Wednesday, Winnie Akinyi, Outreach Care Manager at HAART Kenya, told The Eastleigh Voice that the organisation is witnessing a surge in young men being trafficked to South-East Asia — including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand — unlike previous years when most victims were women trafficked to Arab countries.

Shift in trafficking patterns

“Most of the victims were recent graduates from 2023, 2024 and early 2025 who were being trafficked from Kenya to Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. That brings us to what happens to young people when they graduate?” she posed, adding that 80 per cent of the victims were men.

“So how do we protect the vulnerable men that are there in society?” she posed again.

In addition, the organisation received at least 60 referral cases of trafficking to other regions, including eight from India and Russia, and three from Lebanon, who are set to return to Kenya tomorrow.

According to Ms Akinyi, common traits among those rescued include physical and psychological signs of torture, as well as symptoms of clinical depression affecting both victims and their families, often due to pressure arising from selling property to fund overseas job searches.

Festive season risks

She warned that as the year draws to a close, more people risk falling prey to dubious recruitment agencies advertising overseas jobs ahead of the new year.

“So as we approach the festivities, people are excited, everybody is looking for better opportunities as others are job hunting to get something as they start the year 2026. So many are likely to see a number of recruitment agencies advertising online whose legitimacy is an issue. So, as we approach the new year, be aware of what is happening in terms of recruitment, get the right information, and protect yourself,” she warned.

HAART Kenya has also observed persistent trafficking and smuggling of people from other countries into Kenya, or through Kenya to other destinations.

These include Ugandans, Nepalese, Eritreans, Somalis and Indians, among others.

Kenya as a transit hub

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• Kenyans warned of rising human trafficking risks as festive travel begins
• youth targeted

“When we look at trafficking, we don’t just look at what is happening in Kenya, but also what is happening elsewhere that is affecting Kenya,” said Ms Akinyi.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it had repatriated 18 Kenyans from Russia, where they were lured by job offers only to end up on war frontlines.

“Credible reports indicate that more than 200 Kenyans may have been recruited, with networks believed to remain active in both Kenya and the Russian Federation. The Ministry is engaging the Government of the Russian Federation to facilitate the movement of Kenyan nationals, including those in military camps, to Kenya’s mission in Moscow for onward repatriation,” Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi said.

HAART Kenya confirmed it had received similar reports and pleas for intervention, but has yet to assist with any repatriations from Russia.

Changing routes and tactics

Ms Akinyi noted that, like other criminals, traffickers constantly change routes and tactics once detected by security agencies.

“We noticed people were not travelling from JKIA to countries they were intending to go to, especially when the government places restrictions on tourist visas. People were using other countries like Nigeria, Qatar, where it’s easy to get a Tourist Visa and Uganda as transit countries to the final destination. Even the ones from the North, like Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, are now moving to western Kenya, and then they cross over to Uganda and then proceed. People are flying across the continent just to find opportunities for better income,” she said.

As part of its mandate to empower survivors to access justice, understand their rights and know available interventions, HAART Kenya is urging greater caution among job seekers pursuing opportunities abroad.

“You have to protect yourself before the government intervenes. That includes verifying the available opportunities, going to the different government sites and cross-checking the recruitment agencies, and even beyond that, pay a visit to the labour office at any part of the country, the diaspora office, etc. There are resources around us, utilise them. Do not allow yourself to be used by anybody just because you are vulnerable,” she urged.

Domestic trafficking concerns

Trafficking within Kenya often involves the movement of unemployed people from rural areas to urban centres, where some end up living with relatives but are exploited as domestic workers.

“We also have men being employed as farmhands across the country and mat ining sites. Those are avenues where children are being exploited, so as parents, it’s our job to make sure that our children are safe,” she explained.

She also cautioned parents against employing minors from other countries as domestic workers.

“Kenya is also a hub for other people. You assume that because our currency is stronger than that of various countries in the East African region, you can employ them at very little pay and oppress them. Do not employ a child; that is against the law,” she warned.

Where to seek help

HAART Kenya operates a 24/7 hotline for victims seeking assistance, alongside police hotline numbers.

“If you find yourself in a trafficking situation, the first thing you need to do is know the different people you can contact. We have the police, organisations like HAART, whose hotline is available on our social media channels to get in touch with someone who can intervene. What we say most of the time, if you feel the situation is very risky, do not try and run away, make sure you contact someone else because that could actually put you in more harm,” she advised.