The government will create a special anti-human trafficking unit in response to the growing threat of exploitation, particularly of overseas job promises targeting Kenyans.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said that the unit will enhance the enforcement of labour migration laws and help dismantle trafficking networks.

Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on National Administration and Internal Security, Murkomen said enforcement of labour migration regulations will ensure rogue agents are tamed.

“Human trafficking is a challenge that requires an all-of-society and multi-agency approach to curb. As a ministry, we have strengthened the fight against this vice and are looking to establish a special anti-human trafficking unit,” he said.

He added, “This will ensure individuals luring our youth with promises of a better future abroad are held accountable.”

The move follows concerns raised over alarming statistics of human trafficking of Kenyans migrating to the Gulf in search of greener pastures.

An international NGO report released in 2020 revealed there were between 35,000 and 40,000 sex trafficking victims in Kenya, nearly half of whom were children. 

Similarly, a 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report stated that most perpetrators are Kenyan nationals, and in some cases, include police officers and local government officials. 

Murkomen admitted that the government is still grappling with the scale of the problem.

“This is not something the government can solve alone. We are engaging all relevant actors, including international partners, to build a coordinated and effective response,” he said. 

Besides, Murkomen told the committee that the Ministry is working with the National Treasury to fund the operationalization of newly gazetted administrative units.

“The MPs are partnering with the government through the NG-CDF in developing the necessary infrastructure to enable the operationalization of these units,” he said. 

“We are also reviewing the National Administration Policy to streamline the scheme of service—promotion, career progression, and remuneration of NGAO officers—to enhance their welfare and improve service delivery to Kenyans.”

To boost grassroots security and trust, the CS said that the Ministry is also reforming the National Police Reservists system to boost security in some insecure parts of the country.

“We are streamlining the National Police Reservists’ command structure and improving their welfare through the enactment of the National Police Reservists Policy,” said Murkomen. 

“This will give a legal framework to their operations and enable them to bolster security, particularly in far-flung regions.”