Kenya has kept its Tier 2 ranking in the US Department of State's 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, The Star reported on Friday. Tier 2 countries do not fully meet the minimum standards for ending trafficking but are making significant efforts to do so. The report says Kenya stepped up its efforts during the review period. It also says the government still falls short on prosecutions, official complicity and victim protection.
The figures expose the gap. Kenya investigated 43 trafficking cases in 2025, up from 42 in 2024, according to the report. Prosecutions fell sharply, from 44 to 14. Convictions dropped from 21 traffickers to six. "The government decreased anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts," the report says.
The report credits Kenya with identifying more victims: 271 in this reporting period, up from 195 in the previous assessment. The government also identified 1,021 potential victims. Kenya worked with non-governmental organisations to support victims. It also repatriated citizens forced to work in online scam operations in Southeast Asia. For the first time, a Kenyan court issued a civil judgment against a fraudulent recruiter and awarded the victim Sh5 million.
The report says some officials facilitated trafficking through fraudulent recruitment of Kenyans seeking work abroad. The government reported investigating three Ministry of Labour officials suspected of taking bribes linked to migrant workers bound for the Middle East. Yet officials accused of involvement faced little law enforcement action, the report says. In a separate report, The Star said more than 500,000 Kenyans face trafficking risks in the Middle East.
Victim support remains thin, especially for adults returning from abroad. Male victims struggle most to find shelter, the report says. The government allocated Sh9.27 million from the National Assistance Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking. That is down from Sh20 million in the previous period.
The Counter Trafficking in Persons Secretariat coordinates Kenya's response under the 2022-2027 National Action Plan. The US report calls for stronger enforcement, better victim identification and accountability for officials suspected of helping traffickers. It also urges tighter regulation of recruitment agencies as more Kenyans look for jobs abroad.