CS MURKOMEN SAYS BBC’S DOCUMENTARY ON CHILD TRAFFICKING WAS FAKE

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has refuted a recent BBC documentary exposing alleged child sex trafficking in Mai Mahiu, terming it a hoax. 

Speaking in Parliament, Murkomen said that the individuals interviewed were not underage, raising concerns over the documentary’s authenticity. CS Murkomen stated that the interviewees used pseudonyms and were not minors, contradicting the documentary’s claims of child exploitation. “From this report Mister Speaker, the entire report was fake, because the people who were interviewed were not under age,” he said.

The CS questioned BBC’s methods, including alleged financial incentives for sources, suggesting possible manipulation to fit a narrative. “Why would someone promise financial reward in case information is going to be shared? Was the financial reward intended to get a good story that can be aired by BBC and therefore improve the well being of the reporter, or was it actually part of the tricks that were being used by BBC to see if they can find actual young children“

While denying the documentary’s accuracy, Murkomen acknowledged Kenya’s ongoing fight against trafficking, including cross-border exploitation and job scams targeting youth. “we still have cases of human trafficking including those that come from neighbouring countries passing through Kenya, young people that are being lured, they may be no under age, but lured also for jobs abroad, and they suffer.”