NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4 – Parliament on Tuesday morning passed a motion to introduce a Counter Trafficking in Persons Bill which is to introduce policies and laws addressing the human trafficking situation in the country.
Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo who moved the motion said Kenya had been classified on the world map as a country of transit and destination for human trafficking.
“Trafficking of humans has become more sophisticated and it is sad that a lot of young people have become sex slaves in different countries. In Kenya there are very many cases of sexual exploitation,” the legislator told the House.
The motion was unanimously supported with parliamentarians saying that young people had become the target of traffickers and had been enslaved by sex, domestic work and prostitution.
Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa who seconded the motion said most unfortunate was the absence of legal structures to protect children and women.
So horrible was the situation that some were trafficked with the sole aim of harvesting their body organs.
“The magnitude of this trafficking has been underestimated. It is real and young people are being sold and exchanged inhumanly, young people are taken into dens of prostitution,” he said.
The infamous Pastor Gilbert Deya- of the miracle baby saga was once again on the spotlight with legislators claiming it was a blatant case of human trafficking.
Mr Wamalwa asked the Finance Ministry to make a budgetary allocation to support the establishment of police units that will deal exclusively with the trafficking in persons in the country.
Trafficking in Persons: The blame game
Legislators blamed poverty and unemployment as the main contributors to human trafficking.
Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama blamed political leaders for the prevalence of the vice saying they were the cause of economic inequalities in the country.
“Only 300 people in this country take 70 percent of the national budget, the rest of Kenyans are left to struggle because of their unconcerned leaders. Ministers take 25 percent of the budget yet Kenyans have no jobs,” Mr Muthama asserted.
“It’s a shame that Kenyans are being trafficked as we pack big cars outside for them to see,” he said.
He revived the MPs allowances taxation issue saying the additional levy was the only way to ease some of the economic challenges Kenyans were facing.
“You are complaining of human trafficking and you can’t be taxed. You have to look for ways of raising funds; leaders have to accept the problems Kenyans are facing,” the member said.
About The Author
