The National Police Service has dispatched a specialized team to Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County, following a damning BBC Africa Eye investigation that uncovered a child sex trafficking network operating in the transit town.
The documentary, titled “Madams: Exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade,” revealed the exploitation of underage girls, prompting swift action from Kenyan authorities.
In a press statement released on August 6, the NPS confirmed that a multi-agency unit including officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit has been deployed to Maai Mahiu.
Preliminary investigations have already led to statements being taken from three persons of interest, with efforts underway to identify and rescue affected children.
“We recognize the urgency and gravity of the issues raised and are treating them with the seriousness they deserve,” the statement read, emphasizing the NPS’s commitment to prosecuting perpetrators under Article 53(1) of Kenya’s Constitution and the Children Act 2022.
Maai Mahiu, Kenya A harrowing BBC Africa Eye documentary, “Madams: Exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade,” has exposed a brutal trafficking network exploiting underage girls in the bustling transit town of Maai Mahiu.
Undercover footage shows young girls, some as young as 12, being lured with promises of work, only to be forced into prostitution by a well-organized syndicate. The investigation reveals how traffickers, including women known as “madams,” prey on vulnerable families, coercing children into sexual slavery under the guise of employment.
One victim, identified only as “Ann,” recounted being sold to multiple men daily. “If I refused, they beat me. There was no escape,” she whispered, her face blurred for safety.
The documentary has sparked national outrage, prompting immediate police action. But activists warn that without systemic change, more children remain at risk.
“This is not just a crime it’s an epidemic,” said a local child rights advocate. “And it’s happening in plain sight.”
The NPS also highlighted the escalating threat of online child sexual exploitation, revealing that Kenya’s forensic cybercrime unit, the first of its kind in Africa is actively collaborating with INTERPOL’s International Child Sexual Exploitation ICSE database. This unit works alongside the International Victim Identification Network VIN to track and rescue children depicted in abusive online content.
