US report raises alarm over alleged involvement of Kenyan officials in human trafficking

The 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report by the US Department of State cites allegations of officials colluding with criminal networks, facilitating the movement of trafficking victims and accepting bribes to enable the exploitation of migrant workers.

“Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action during the year,” the report stated.

The assessment revealed that three Ministry of Labour officials were investigated over allegations of accepting bribes to facilitate potential trafficking involving migrant workers travelling to the Middle East.

It also cited allegations that criminal networks colluded with law enforcement and immigration officials at border checkpoints and airports to facilitate the movement of trafficking victims into and within Kenya.

Additionally, media reports cited by the assessment indicated that more than 10 per cent of government officials maintained ownership interests in private employment agencies, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest.

Some Kenyan embassy officials in Saudi Arabia were also accused of demanding money or sexual favours from women seeking assistance to escape abusive employers and return home.

The report further highlighted allegations that Kenyan officials colluded with recruitment agencies and Russian government officials to facilitate the fraudulent recruitment of more than 1,000 Kenyan men.

The men were reportedly promised lucrative security and construction jobs before some were allegedly coerced into contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Trafficking convictions decline

The concerns come amid a decline in the number of human trafficking convictions secured in Kenya despite an increase in identified victims.

According to the report, authorities investigated 43 human trafficking cases during the reporting period, compared to 42 in 2024.

However, prosecutions dropped from 44 to 14, while convictions declined from 21 to just six.

“The government decreased anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts,” the report stated.

Of the six individuals convicted under the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2010, five were found guilty of sex trafficking and one of forced labour.

Two of the convicted sex traffickers received 30-year prison sentences, while three others were sentenced to 20 years. The individual convicted of labour trafficking received a 10-year jail term.

The report noted that 103 trafficking prosecutions were ongoing at the end of the reporting period.

More trafficking victims identified

Despite the decline in convictions, Kenya recorded an increase in the number of trafficking victims identified during the reporting period.

Authorities identified 271 victims, up from 195 in the previous reporting period. Of these, 260 were victims of forced labour, while 11 were victims of sex trafficking.

The government also identified 1,021 potential trafficking victims.

Through partnerships with non-governmental organisations, authorities provided assistance to 483 victims, compared to 321 in the previous reporting period.

However, the report warned that protection services for adult victims remained limited, with male survivors facing particular difficulties accessing shelter.

“Male victims were referred to homeless shelters or, in some instances, not provided shelter at all,” the assessment noted.

The government allocated KSh9.27 million to the National Assistance Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking, down from KSh20 million in the previous reporting period.

Kenyans lured into overseas exploitation

The report identified fraudulent overseas recruitment as a major threat, particularly for young Kenyans seeking employment opportunities abroad.

It highlighted the use of social media, smartphone applications and fake job advertisements to recruit Kenyans with university degrees for supposed high-paying opportunities in technology, education and hospitality in Southeast Asia.

“Traffickers in Southeast Asia use social media, smartphone applications, and fraudulent job postings with false promises of high-paying jobs in the technology, education, or hospitality sectors to recruit Kenyans with university degrees, ages 18 to 38, for work in Thailand,” the report stated.

Upon arrival, some victims are transported to neighbouring countries, including Myanmar, Malaysia and Laos, where they are forced to work in online scam operations or subjected to sexual exploitation.

The assessment also highlighted the vulnerability of more than 500,000 Kenyans working in the Middle East, particularly domestic workers exposed to abusive employment conditions.

It noted that some Kenyan women recruited to Saudi Arabia were misled about wages and employment conditions before being subjected to domestic servitude.

“Reports continue to document traffickers in Saudi Arabia exploiting Kenyan women working in domestic servitude who are often misled by recruitment agencies with deceptive information about wages and sign contracts they are unable to read,” the report stated.

The assessment also cited media reports indicating that at least 274 Kenyan migrant workers, mostly women, died in Saudi Arabia over a five-year period.

Kenya retains Tier 2 ranking

Despite the concerns, Kenya retained its Tier 2 ranking in the 2026 US human trafficking assessment.

The classification means the government does not fully meet the minimum international standards for eliminating human trafficking but is making significant efforts towards addressing the crime.

The report stated: “The Government of Kenya does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.”

It acknowledged government efforts to identify more victims, expand partnerships with civil society organisations and facilitate the repatriation of Kenyans exploited in overseas trafficking networks.

It also highlighted ongoing implementation of the 2022–2027 National Action Plan on trafficking in persons.

However, the assessment called for stronger investigations and prosecutions, greater accountability for officials suspected of facilitating trafficking and improved protection services for survivors.