ODPP Leads Anti-Trafficking Sensitization in Garissa as Kenya Marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

As the world commemorated the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), through its Counter-Trafficking in Persons Division, led a sensitization session targeting security agencies and justice sector stakeholders in Garissa County.

The session, spearheaded by Division Head Lindah Mwamburi, brought together a diverse group of actors—including police, children officers, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and other state agencies—aimed at strengthening multi-sectoral strategies to detect, prevent, and prosecute human trafficking offences.

Mwamburi underscored the importance of multi-agency coordination in fighting the deeply entrenched vice of human trafficking, which she described as a national and global crisis. She urged all stakeholders to fully commit to their mandates, noting that a harmonized approach was crucial in preventing cases of trafficking.

“If we don’t embrace multi-agency coordination, defeating the vice will be a tall order,” Mwamburi warned.

She further urged participants to be vigilant and trained in identifying common signs of trafficking, which often include restricted movement, fear or anxiety, excessive guilt, and the presence of a hidden controller or exploiter.

Mwamburi emphasized the need for public awareness campaigns, stressing that prevention begins with education and community empowerment. She called on all state agencies to incorporate anti-trafficking messages in their community outreach programmes.

Highlighting a strategic angle to enforcement, she urged law enforcement officers and investigators to incorporate financial investigation tactics into their anti-trafficking efforts.

“Follow the money. Financial trails often lead to the real masterminds behind trafficking networks,” she advised.

The forum was officially opened by North Eastern Regional Coordinator Bonny Okemwa, who lauded the initiative and called on all security agencies to enhance interagency cooperation. He emphasized that traffickers often exploit institutional gaps and jurisdictional divides, which can only be closed through coordinated action.

“If we work in a unified and coordinated manner, cases of trafficking will be significantly reduced,” Okemwa said.

He also called for increased outreach in vulnerable regions, specifically Wajir County, which has been identified as a critical transit route for human trafficking networks. He urged the ODPP and partners to replicate similar sessions across the region to help curb trafficking at its root.

The sensitization session marks a continued commitment by the ODPP and its partners to uphold Kenya’s international and domestic obligations under the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act, 2010, and the Palermo Protocol.

As trafficking syndicates continue to adapt and evolve, the ODPP’s proactive engagement with frontline actors signals a determined and strategic effort to protect vulnerable populations and ensure traffickers are brought to justice.