Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has proposed the formation of a dedicated police unit to address the growing threat of human trafficking, warning that the crime continues to evolve and infiltrate the country through subtle, often deceptive channels.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Murkomen hinted at the establishment of a special police unit specifically to address trafficking, comparing it to existing enforcement divisions such as the Anti-Narcotics Unit.
“I don’t want to be a roadside declaration kind of person, but I think at some point, like we have established other special units, perhaps a special police unit for human trafficking will have to be established at some point, it might be actually necessary,” he stated.
“Even if it is not a fully fled that it is all over, but a smaller unit that thinks through coordinates, assesses the patterns, receives the intelligence report and works with the officers on the groun,d it might be necessary to have a special unit to deal with human trafficking,” he added.
Murkomen further described human trafficking as a global crisis that has increasingly affected Kenyans, particularly those recruited through labour agencies.
“Human trafficking manifests in different forms—some subtle and hard to detect. People travel to countries like Myanmar and Vietnam under the guise of official employment, only to end up victims of sexual exploitation and abuse,” Murkomen said.
Need for regulation
The Cabinet Secretary emphasised the need to regulate the recruitment process for migrant workers, calling for a limited number of properly vetted immigration agencies.
He asserted that raising awareness among vulnerable communities, especially in marginalised areas, would help prevent exploitation, which often thrives on ignorance and illiteracy.
“We must ensure parents know exactly where their children are going, what kind of job they are taking, and what documentation backs it up. Ignorance is what traffickers prey on,” he said.
Multi-agency approach
Murkomen mentioned ongoing discussions with the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and the Inspector General of Police aimed at upgrading the Anti-Narcotics Unit to match the operational strength of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
He suggested a similar strategy could be effective for a unit focused on human trafficking.
“We have already had a lengthy discussion with NACADA, we think that NACADA’s proposal is that this anti-narcotic unit needs to be strengthened and the IG is working on how best it can be made stronger,” Murkomen stated.
He further advocated for a multi-agency, intergovernmental approach where such a unit could work in tandem with labour agencies to monitor trends, track traffickers, and protect potential victims.
“Some of these recruitment agencies are fronts for trafficking rings, and it’s not just a problem in the North. There are victims from Nairobi, Central, and many other regions, now trapped in countries like Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, and Vietnam,” he said.
Murkomen also called for religious leaders and the public to use platforms such as churches and mosques to educate communities and build civic awareness around the issue.
“We must continue to support safe labour migration while decisively separating it from the criminal networks exploiting our people,” he stated.