Kenya Gov’t Opens Probe into Nairobi Child Trafficking Racket After Shocking BBC Exposé
The government has swung into action following the recently aired BBC documentary, ‘The Baby Stealers’.
The BBC’s Africa Eye documentary exposed an underground child trafficking ring with deep roots in Kenya
Labor and Social Services Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui said a multi-agency team has been established to probe the child trafficking syndicate and unearth the networks behind the business.
“Following this expose, a team of officers and experts from the relevant government agencies has been constituted to exhaustively investigate and take the necessary action. As the Government of Kenya, we do not condone child trafficking and we will do everything possible to get to the bottom of this issue,” CS Chelugui said on Tuesday.
He urged members of the public to report any cases of child trafficking to Child Helpline 116, and the police.
“The Government of Kenya is committed to the safety and security of all children and would like to inform Kenyans that if for one reason or the other, they may not have children of their own, that there are legal procedures for adopting,” Chelugui added.
BBC Africa Eye revealed how vulnerable Kenyan women are being lured with money to feed a thriving black market for babies. They sell their babies for as little as Sh40,000.
During the year-long investigation, Africa Eye witnessed infants being snatched from homeless mothers and sold for massive profits. The team further exposed illegal child trafficking in street clinics and babies being stolen at a major government-run hospital.
The BBC team also managed to directly buy an abandoned baby from a hospital official, who used legal paperwork to obtain custody of a two-week-old boy.
In Nairobi, the going-rate to steal a baby from a woman is about Sh50,000 for a girl and Sh80,000 for a boy.
Anita, a woman involved in the business said her boss was a local businesswoman who buys stolen babies from petty criminals and sells them for a profit. She said some of the customers were barren women while others use the babies for rituals.
“Yes, they are used for sacrifices. These children just disappear from the streets and they are never seen again,” Anita said.
Some of the methods Anita uses to steal babies include drugging their mothers and feeding them with sleeping pills or glue.
Comments
Ningependa kujua: Je,…
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Ningependa kujua: Je, mishahara mikubwa ambayo wanabunge na watumishi wote wa serikali pamoja na marupurupu (perks) yote makubwa wanayopata kila mwezi yanasaidiaje mwananchi wa kawaida katika nchi ya Kenya?
Ni jambo la aibu sana iwapo watu wa kutoka nje ya Kenya wanaweza kufichua (uncover) mambo ya ajabu kama haya yanayoendelea nchini!
Wananchi: Wakati umefika sasa kujiandaa (prepare) kwenye uchaguzi wa 2022 na kuhakikisha ya kwamba, hakuna hata mmoja ambaye yumo kwenye bunge au mfanyikazi wa serikali ambaye anastahili kuchaguliwa tena ili kuwahudumia wananchi ikiwa hata sasa hajui yanayoendelea nchini!
Asante sana BBC kwa kufichua uhalifu kama huu ambao umo nchini. Endeleeni kufichua mengine ya ajabu ambayo mwananchi wa kawaida hayajui.
You know you ain’t gonna do…
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You know you ain’t gonna do sh*t because government officials are involved. You killed all elephants so there is no ivory trading, you want to SELL PEOPLE’S CHILDREN now.
If I remember well, these…
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If I remember well, these child trafficking stories were once aired by Moha when he was doing Jicho Pevu. This same people in the government we still the leaders. What is going to be done different? The children traffickers need lynching in broad day light. I will supply the nooses(sp).
This story has been aired…
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This story has been aired before. I am so tired of Kenyan leaders. Why are they acting out all of a sudden after a BBC report? Did they not know this? Do we need our former colonizers telling us what’s wrong after all these years of independence? Inept governments leading inept citizens. I am ashamed at the banana republic that Kenya is. We seriously need a revolution(hopefully peaceful)!
Where are the bishops,and…
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Where are the bishops,and other evangelicals.No IAM not blaming them for child trafficking.They are quick to condemn homosexuality as foreign evil, ignoring scientific evidence to contrary.
Not too long ago here on mwakilishi,it was reported that a woman was selling her child for 600 dollars.If that did not shock our sensibility,this story here will not be any different.
Someone has already mentioned that this is not news...
Unscrupulous people will thrive very well,and are doing so in acountry like Kenya.Why do you think doping in our athletes is all time high, despite being exposed international,and ashamed.The image our heroes like kip keino,jipcho created as clear runners has been shattered.Now any athletic win is met with derition.
Why do we allowed this evils to run rampant in our society?
We see the damage caused.These are not natural disasters.
Hang some of these corrupt leaders, and criminals who perpetuate atrocities in our society, and you will see positive change.
Let's not pretend that just because our homosexuality are swept under the rag,we are more moral than first world countries,where according to polls, majority of Kenyan youths so desperately want to escape to.
Where did we go wrong?
Mwathani! For ritual? Am so…
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Mwathani! For ritual? Am so repulsed. Na eti they repent on their deathbeds for forgiveness wakiwa hali mahututi. Mungu awaone.
Mwathani! For ritual? Am so…
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Mwathani! For ritual? Am so repulsed. Na eti they repent on their deathbeds for forgiveness wakiwa hali mahututi. Mungu awaone.
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