Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has revealed the extent of human trafficking and irregular labour migration affecting Kenyan nationals abroad, outlining coordinated government interventions that have led to the rescue, repatriation, and protection of hundreds of victims across several countries.
Speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Labour Migration, Recruitment and Workers Protection, Mudavadi said Kenya is facing a complex transnational trafficking network that continues to exploit job seekers through fraudulent recruitment promises.
“Every Kenyan lured abroad by false promises represents a life at risk and a family left in distress. Our duty as government is to intervene decisively, dismantle these networks, and ensure safe return and reintegration of all affected citizens.”
He reported that in Myanmar, a total of 751 Kenyans have been rescued between 2022 and 2026, with 615 successfully repatriated.
However, 39 remain imprisoned over illegal entry and cyber-related offences, while 97 others are still detained in Thailand after crossing borders irregularly and are awaiting deportation.
In Cambodia, 393 Kenyans were rescued between January and April 2026, with 304 already returned home and others still undergoing repatriation processes.
Additionally, 29 Kenyans have been safely repatriated from Laos.
Mudavadi noted that Thailand remains a key transit point in trafficking networks, with at least 14 Kenyans currently serving prison sentences for possession of forged immigration documents allegedly facilitated by traffickers.
“Many of these cases stem from unregulated recruitment agencies and syndicates that operate across borders. We are working closely with partner states to ensure perpetrators are identified, prosecuted, and dismantled.”
In the Middle East, the Qatar has recorded 162 Kenyans trafficked through unregistered recruitment agencies.
While many victims have since returned, others managed to secure alternative employment following government intervention.
He also highlighted rising cases in India, where 265 Kenyan women were rescued after being lured by fake job offers, and in Russia, where 291 cases of irregular military recruitment have been documented, with 53 Kenyans already repatriated.
Domestically, Mudavadi said the government has intensified enforcement against illegal recruitment agencies, deregistering more than 600 entities and prosecuting 87 individuals linked to trafficking and exploitation networks.
He emphasized that Kenya is strengthening both diplomatic and enforcement mechanisms to dismantle trafficking syndicates and protect citizens seeking employment abroad.
“We will not allow criminal networks to profit from the desperation of our citizens. Accountability will be enforced, and every avenue of exploitation will be closed to safeguard Kenyans wherever they are.”