Kenyans seeking employment abroad have been urged to cooperate with the government throughout the recruitment process to avoid falling victim to scams that have recently led unsuspecting individuals into the hands of human traffickers.

Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary, Roseline Njogu, on Tuesday, April 8 said that unregistered travel agencies have become increasingly smarter in escaping legal and administrative measures designed to protect job seekers.

According to Njogu, some victims are complicit in their own trafficking by following unscrupulous agents who use deceit and forged documents to facilitate their departure for notorious job destinations such as Thailand and Myanmar.

Some victims have been trafficked to Lebanon, despite Kenya’s ban on labor migration to the country that has been in place for two years now.

“We’ve realised that some Kenyans headed to these red-listed countries give misleading information. They will say they are going to Ethiopia, a friendly country next door, but that’s not their final destination,” said Njogu on Spice FM.

“Some of these young people are unknowingly contributing to their own smuggling. For some reason, Kenyans will not show up for Kazi Majuu job fairs but will take up a job from a faceless stranger on Facebook or WhatsApp.”

The Department of Diaspora Affairs has urged job seekers to verify job opportunities through the National Employment Authority portal and ensure they have the proper documentation before leaving the country.

Moreover, those planning to travel abroad for work can benefit from the department’s pre-departure training on their destinations.

However, many Kenyans bypass these checks, choosing to trust agents over government guidance.

“The new kind of trafficking involves forced criminality in scam compounds and is dark,” said Njogu, adding, “Traffickers exploit the weakness in victims.”

Thailand and Myanmar have gained notoriety for housing prison-like scam compounds, particularly near their shared border, where victims are held and forced to commit crimes, including cybercrimes.

Njogu explained that evacuations from these areas have been challenging due to the sovereignty of the countries and the control of military juntas in certain regions, making it difficult to contact victims.

Since the beginning of 2025, at least 153 Kenyans have been repatriated, with a second batch of returnees arriving in Nairobi on Saturday last week.