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How Kenyans are sold into slavery

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Many trafficked women are forced to work as prostitutes in brothels. Photo/FILE

Many trafficked women are forced to work as prostitutes in brothels. Photo/FILE 

By KEN OPALA
Posted  Sunday, October 5  2008 at  21:23

They invite applications from cabin crews, nurses, beauticians, waiters and sales executives to work in foreign lands, mostly Middle East and Asia.

“Jobs guaranteed in Dubai”, “Jobs in Dubai and Canada”, “Jobs in America/Dubai”, “Jobs in Kuwait”, “Live and work as an Au Pair in Europe and Canada”, “Kenya, Sudan, Dubai jobs”, they advertise. And the gullible apply.

But a close scrutiny reveals the “recruiters” only offer cell phone numbers and do not indicate their location. Those with premises tend to shift every few months to avoid people they would have duped.

An agency in Nairobi’s South B claims to hire house-helps for Syria and Turkey. But a counsellor in the Turkish embassy in Nairobi denied issuing work permits to Kenyans recently.

The South B agency is not registered with the Government and the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies (Kapea).

“That agency is illegal,” says Kapea secretary-general Margaret Mugwanja. Kapea has only 25 members, yet “hundreds of such agencies operate in the country,” Cotu’s education director Noah Chanyisa Chune says.

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Add a comment (14 comments so far)

  1. Submitted by Momanyi5

    kenyan government neeeds to keep track of his becauses this is not right.as a country we need to woke up and see where our people are. Right now Kenyan Government is needs to better of

    Posted  February 04, 2009 10:47 PM  
  2. Submitted by lucky260

    Risking once life in search of a green pasture, sounds as a big sacrifice and when one reaches this point, he or she lives in the world of fantasy which can only be brought into reality by our politicians who opens the doors of export and import of our rich resources abroad. They should review the agenda first to combat the situation.

    Posted  November 16, 2008 12:51 AM  
  3. Submitted by kwanza1

    it is not a case of morals since morals do not put food on the table or pay school fees, money does. pursuing happiness is not a bad thing, we shoule be able to pursue happiness in kenya, create individual wealth and prosperity for ourselves in kenya and not have to seek it abroad. if the government would build good roads for all, provide runing water for all, ensure adequate security for all and then get out of the way, we kenyans would be far better off. try it, it will work. charles meto.

    Posted  November 03, 2008 03:51 AM  
  4. Submitted by SJ502

    This is taking place with a either a close family friend helping the unsuspecting victim or a relative. A society lacking morals in pursuit of happiness.

    Posted  October 07, 2008 03:16 PM  
  5. Submitted by burnhardotieno

    The Government on its part should also carry out a sensitization campaign. About the reality of the outside world. Some of our people still believe there are countries 'Where money fall from heaven' If twenty milion people are poor in world's super-power. Where is paradise on this planet earth? There should be a sensitization campaign carried out, to encourage peolpe to work hard and create a little paradise at home(Kenya). Poverty makes us vulnerable. But economic empowerment can enable us to resist lures and 'better life abroad' temptation.

    Posted  October 07, 2008 12:28 PM  

See all 14 comments