Senator Hamida demands action over child sex trafficking in Maai Mahiu

Senator Hamida Kibwana. (Photo: Senate)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Friday, October 31, 2025

Senator Hamida Kibwana revealed that testimonies point to the involvement of “madams” who recruit and control young girls, exploiting them under the pretence of providing protection and employment.

Senator Hamida Kibwana has called on the Senate to take immediate action following alarming reports of a child sex trafficking network operating openly in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County.

She requested a detailed Statement from the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations to investigate the crisis and recommend urgent interventions.

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“The existence of an organised child sex trafficking network operating openly in Maai Mahiu has recently been exposed. This key transport hub in the Rift Valley, located along the Northern Corridor, has become a hotspot for the trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of minors, reportedly as young as 13 years old,” Senator Hamida told the Senate on Thursday.

Senator Hamida revealed that testimonies point to the involvement of “madams” who recruit and control young girls, exploiting them under the pretence of providing protection and employment.

Victims are reportedly forced into unprotected sexual encounters with multiple clients daily. She expressed concern over the apparent lack of police intervention, investigations, or accountability despite the seriousness of the matter.

“The normalisation of child exploitation in a major transit town like Maai Mahiu constitutes a national crisis that demands urgent and decisive parliamentary action,” she emphasised.

She urged the Committee to thoroughly investigate child sex trafficking rings in Maai Mahiu and other towns, identify those behind the crimes, and provide updates on arrests and prosecutions.

She also requested clarity on measures by law enforcement to curb the vice and protect victims.

Adding weight to the concern, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on August 7, 2025, reacted to a BBC Africa Eye documentary, ‘Madam: Exposing Kenya's Child Sex Trade’, which highlighted alleged sexual trafficking of minors in Maai Mahiu.

The ODPP noted the allegations indicated serious violations of children’s rights that could constitute grave criminal offences under Kenyan law.

The statement confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to undertake a thorough investigation and submit findings within seven days.

“The ODPP is mandated to prosecute all offences, including those involving human rights violations and crimes against children. Article 53 of the Constitution guarantees the rights of children, including protection from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, and all forms of violence and exploitation,” the statement read.

The BBC documentary, aired on August 4, revealed how girls as young as 13 are trafficked with the help of women known as “madams.” Secret filming showed a woman, Nyambura, admitting,

“They're still children, so it's easy to manipulate them by just handing them sweets,” and describing minors being repeatedly abused for sex daily.

The National Police Service confirmed that a multi-agency team, including the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit, has been dispatched to Maai Mahiu to investigate and collect statements from persons of interest.