An undercover investigation by BBC Africa Eye has exposed a network of women, known as “madams,” who recruit and exploit children as young as 13 in Kenya’s sex trade.
The investigation focused on Maai Mahiu, a busy transit town in Kenya’s Rift Valley where trucks transport goods and passengers to neighboring countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Located just 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Nairobi, the town is known for prostitution but has also become a center for the sexual exploitation of minors.
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Earlier this year, two undercover investigators posed as aspiring madams and spent months infiltrating the local sex trade. Secret recordings captured conversations with two women who admitted knowing their actions were illegal before introducing the journalists to underage girls involved in prostitution.
In March, the BBC shared its findings with Kenyan authorities. Police confirmed they could not locate the suspects or victims shown in the footage, and no arrests have been made so far.
Convictions in such cases remain rare in Kenya, as successful prosecutions often depend on testimony from vulnerable minors—many of whom are too afraid to speak out.
Exploitation and Manipulation
One woman, who called herself Nyambura, was filmed laughing as she explained how young girls are lured into the trade.
“They’re still children, so it’s easy to manipulate them—just give them sweets,” she said.
She admitted to managing a 13-year-old girl who had been in the sex trade for six months, explaining that minors are taken to clients secretly at night to avoid detection.
“Prostitution is like a cash crop here. The truckers drive the demand, and that’s how we profit. It’s normal in Maai Mahiu,” Nyambura said.
While Kenya’s national law does not explicitly criminalize adult prostitution, profiting from it—whether as a sex worker or facilitator—is illegal. Trafficking minors carries a prison sentence of 10 years to life.
Victims Speak Out
Nyambura admitted that while most clients use protection, some refuse—and girls are often pressured into unsafe practices for higher pay.
In another meeting, investigators were taken to a house where several young girls sat nervously. One victim described enduring daily abuse:
“Sometimes you have to sleep with multiple men. They force you to do things you can’t even imagine.”
Despite the evidence, authorities have yet to take action, leaving many children at risk of further exploitation.
BBC Africa Eye | Investigative Journalism
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