UPDATE: Tuesday, October 11, 5: 30 pm: Kisumu county government has launched investigations into two health workers that were alleged to have been selling newborn babies for at least Ksh1 million.
In a statement, Governor Anyang' Nyong'o stated that his administration was concerned about the allegations and would get to the bottom of the matter.
He reiterated that the county would not condone such action, warning health officials against such practices.
"We shall deal firmly with any of our officers and employees together with their criminal accomplices who engage in any form of trafficking of newborn or unborn babies.
"I shall therefore escalate this matter to the council of governors to mobilise my colleagues so that we can initiate remedial action together," Nyong'o stated.
An exposé by NTV revealed how two medics based at a county hospital in Kisumu have been selling unborn babies for up to Ksh1 million.
In the investigative feature, two medics attached to a public hospital were nabbed in the process of selling a newly born baby to an NTV crew disguised as buyers.
The expose titled Sold Unborn, detailed how the medics approached expectant mothers willing to sell their newborns to high-bidding clients willing to part with millions.
Expectant mothers would then be promised Ksh100,000 if the babies were born by prospective clients.
The mothers, however, claimed that they were unaware that their baby boys were fetching up to Ksh1 million for boys and Ksh800,000 for girls.
NTV laid a trap for two brokers upon receiving a tip from the public. In the process, they filmed the medics negotiating with the potential buyers.
During the negotiations - done days before the child's birth, the duo would invite the expectant mothers to see the buyers in a bid to convince them that the deal was legit.
On the delivery day, the medics would then proceed to discharge the mother and the baby before the infant is handed over to their new parents when the payments are completed.
One of the suspects revealed that they had already successfully sold four children prior to being arrested.
However, they denied benefiting from the payments, claiming that the money would be given to the mothers after the deal goes through.
One of the medics defended their actions stating that they were only offering a better life for the babies. The mothers also lamented that they were struggling to make ends meet, and selling the children was an easier and quicker way of raising money.
"It is not about the money. I did not want to have any bond with the baby. I wanted the child to have a better life somewhere else. You do not know what I go through," one mother stated.
"She wanted to dispose of the baby, but I advised her against it. I told her that there was a friend who could take care of the child. The money was for the support of the mother and not mine nor my colleagues," the medic echoed.
The duo will be arraigned in court even as investigations continue.
