Police arrest 18 Ethiopian nationals for illegal entry in Wajir County

Police in Korondile, Wajir County, have arrested eighteen Ethiopian nationals for being in the country illegally.

The National Police Service (NPS) apprehended all adult suspected aliens in Korondile town during a joint multi-agency operation.

"A multi-agency operation was conducted within Korondile township and its environs by officers from both KPS, CIPU, and NPR, where they managed to arrest eighteen suspects, all suspected to be of Ethiopian nationality," a police report documenting the incident reads in part.

Following their arrest, the illegal immigrants were transported to Korondile Police Station, where they are being held until their arraignment in Wajir Law Courts on March 15, 2024, when they will be charged with being in the country illegally.

If found guilty, the 18 individuals risk deportation to Ethiopia.

This marks the latest instance of such arrests occurring within the country amidst ongoing enforcement operations.

Authorities express deep concern over a troubling trend of smuggling involving tens of thousands of Ethiopians.

Police reports indicate that a significant number of individuals from Ethiopia opt for the Moyale route, risking their lives en route to destinations in South Africa and the Middle East, often unaware of the perils that lie ahead.

Numerous arrests of these individuals occur at various locations across the country as they await further transportation to their intended destinations.

Efforts to combat human smuggling are underway, with joint operations coordinated by officials from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit.

The majority of those apprehended either seek job opportunities in Kenya or are in transit to other countries.

One puzzling aspect is how these immigrants manage to evade the numerous police roadblocks along the route from Moyale to Nairobi, often travelling in groups.

Over 20 roadblocks along this route highlight the significant challenge security forces face in curbing this practice.

Yibekal Gatachew, an Ethiopian national also known as Adinan Mohamed Galano, received a 31-year prison sentence for trafficking 12 fellow Ethiopian immigrants in Nairobi.

Gatachew's arrest took place on November 3, 2021, in Ngumo Estate, Nairobi, leading to his conviction by the Kahawa West Law Court on September 7, 2023.

Law enforcement and immigration authorities note that they repatriate the majority of those arrested to their home country as part of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and smuggling.

The Kenyan Citizenship and Immigration Act establishes a legal framework that grants the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government the authority to issue deportation orders.

"The Cabinet Secretary may make an order in writing directing that any person whose presence in Kenya was, immediately before the making of that order, unlawful under this Act or in respect of whom a recommendation has been made to him or her under Section 26A of the Penal Code (Cap. 63), shall be removed from and remain out of Kenya either indefinitely or for such period as may be specified in the order." Section 46 of the Act reads.

Section 26A of the Penal Code outlines the process for deporting a foreigner convicted of a crime in Kenya, based on a court's recommendation after the conviction.