The Women Governors' Caucus has urged the national government to take immediate action against all those involved in the child sex trade in Maai Mahiu and Naivasha.
The governor's issued a statement on Friday, August 8, following a BBC Eye documentary exposé, which featured two women, dubbed "madams," who are allegedly behind a child sex trafficking ring operating in the broader Nakuru and Narok counties.
The county bosses urged the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to take immediate action against child exploitation.
In the statement, they demanded that those involved in child trafficking, including facilitators and clients, be brought to justice.
“This tragedy reflects a deep societal failure and points to the urgent need for coordinated and sustained action. We cannot, and must not, turn a blind eye while children are being robbed of their innocence, manipulated, and abused under the veil of poverty, impunity, and systemic neglect,” the statement read.
The governors also insisted that law enforcement officers who failed in their duty, or worse, enabled these crimes through complicity or corruption, must be held accountable.
They condemned the exploitation of children in the sex trade, stating that the trafficking of minors is not only a gross violation of human rights but a direct assault on the dignity of the children.
“We, the Kenya Women Governors, strongly condemn the abhorrent and inhumane exploitation of children in the sex trade reported in Maai Mahiu. The sexual abuse and trafficking of minors is not only a gross violation of human rights but a direct assault on the dignity, safety, and future of our children, particularly girls, who remain disproportionately vulnerable,” the statement reads.
The caucus urged the establishment of a multi-agency rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration program for the victims, noting that these children need urgent psychological support, medical care, and education to rebuild their lives.
The governors added that the government must address the root causes of the issue, which include poverty, a lack of education, weak enforcement of child protection laws, and harmful cultural attitudes that normalize exploitation.
The G7 Women Governors are Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga County), Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos County), Susan Kihika (Nakuru County), Fatuma Achani (Kwale County), Cecily Mbarire (Embu County), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay County) and former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
