How Kenyans are sold into slavery

[Dr. Chapa Kiuno]

Many trafficked women are forced to work as prostitutes in brothels.

By KEN OPALA

Thousands of Kenyans are being driven into modern slavery abroad in their desperate attempts to escape from worsening economic conditions at home.

Related Stories

How human cargo is trafficked through Kenya
Traders in humans risk life imprisonment
Lack of laws condemns job-seekers
Nation investigations show that nearly 20,000 Kenyans fall prey to human trafficking cartels yearly and are living in appalling conditions in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

The case of a 14-year-old girl rescued in the United Kingdom is a stark reminder of the growing trade in humans.

She had been moved to Liverpool by a man who locked her in a house and forced her to have sex with numerous people. Luckily she escaped and she is now under the care of a charity in the UK.

Her plight came to light on July 8, when UK Conservative Party MP Peter Bone of Wellingborough told Westminster Hall.

“(She) was a black girl from Kenya. She came in on a passport that did not have her name or photograph on it, but was allowed into the country.”

Apart from the revelation by Mr Bone, little information is available about the girl. The Kenyan High Commission was not forthcoming when this writer used a London contact to seek more information about the girl.

Yet what emerges from this case is that Kenya has become a key operation base for cartels that are turning 17,500 Kenyans (according to estimates by Randy Fleitman, until recently the US Labour Attache, in Nairobi) into bondage abroad — about one in 40 people trafficked worldwide.

The cartels have also been bringing into Kenya Ugandans, Tanzanians, Indians, Chinese, Pakistani, Bangladeshis and Congolese, who are forced to work in construction industry and the EPZ factories, and as prostitutes in brothels in Nairobi.

After rescuing two Kenyan children in Tanzania last year, police believe another 40 minors and six adults are living there as slaves.

Police sources say investigations have also moved to The Netherlands and Ireland where five children are believed to be living in similar circumstances.

Source: Daily Nation

Bought or stolen

 

[MaxShimba]

Duh, hii morden day slavery ni hatari kubwa.

 

[Jasusi]

Tanzania is not too far behind.
From the US State Dept. report on Tanzania:



TANZANIA (Sehemu ya 2)

Tanzania ni chanzo, kituo cha kupitia, na nchi wanakoelekea wanaume, wanawake, na watoto wanaosafirishwa kwa lengo la kutumikishwa katika kazi za lazima na vitendo vya ngono. Matukio ya biashara hii ndani ya nchi yanaaminika kuwa makubwa kuliko biashara za kuvuka mipaka ya nchi. Wasichana wa Kitanzania kutoka sehemu za mashambani wanasafirishwa hadi mijini na katika visiwa vya Zanzibar kufanya kazi za utumishi majumbani; baadhi ya wafanyikazi za majumbani wanaowakimbia waajiri wao katili hutumbukia katika limbwi la umalaya wa kulazimishwa. Hoteli za kitalii inasemekana hulazimisha baadhi ya wasichana walioajiriwa kufanya kazi za usafi kuingia katika biashara ya umalaya. Wavulana husafirishwa ndani ya nchi kufanya kazi za kulazimishwa mashambani, katika migodi, katika sekta isiyo rasmi ya biashara, na labda hata kwenye mashua ndogo za kuvua samaki. Idadi ndogo ya watoto na watu wazima wa Kitanzania inasemekana husafirishwa katika nchi jirani za Kiafrika, Afrika Kusini, Saudi Arabia, Uingereza, Sweden, na inawezekana hata katika nchi nyingine za Ulaya kufanya kazi za utumishi majumbani na biashara za ngono. Wanawake wa Kihindi huhamia Tanzania kihalali kufanya kazi kama watumbuizaji katika hoteli na vilabu vya usiku; baadhi inasemekana hulazimishwa kufanya vitendo vya umalaya baada ya kuwasili. Mwaka 2008 wanaume wa Kimalawi walisafirishwa hadi Tanzania kufanya kazi za kulazimishwa katika uvuvi. Raia wan chi jirani huenda nao wanasafirishwa kupitia Tanzania kufanya kazi za utumishi wa kulazimishwa majumbani na vitendo vya ngono katika Afrika kusini, Ulaya, na Mashariki ya Kati.

Serikali ya Tanzania haijatimiza kikamilifu kiwango cha chini kinachotakiwa katika kutokomeza usafirishaji huu; hata hivyo, inafanya juhudi kubwa katika suala hilo. Mwezi August 2008, serikali ilipitisha sheria kamili ya usafirishaji haramu wa binadamu na kupiga hatua katika kuelimisha maafisa wa polisi na waendesha mashtaka juu ya kuenea kwa biashara ya kutumikishwa watu. Ingawa wahanga zaidi ya 250 wa biashara hii walitambuliwa na maafisa wa serikali katika kipindi cha mwaka huo, serikali haikuchukua hatua zinazojulikana za kuwafungulia mashtaka wahusika.

Mapendekezo kwa Tanzania: Tumia sheria mpya zilizopitishwa kuhusu biashara ya binadamu kuwafungulia mashtaka na kuwaadhibu wale wanaozivunja sheria; tekeleza taratibu za kitaifa za kuwalinda wahanga, kukiwa pamoja na kuwatambulisha wahanga wa biashara hiyo miongoni mwa wahamiaji wasioorodheshwa; anzisha mifumo ya kukusanya habari zinazolenga biashara hii itakayotumiwa na polisi na mahakama; na toa mafunzo zaidi kwa wakuu wa vyombo vya sheria yatakayowezesha kutofautisha biashara ya binadamu na biashara za magendo.

Kufungua mashtaka
Ingawa serikali ya Tanzania imepitisha sheria za kupiga marufuku biashara ya kutumikisha binadamu na kupata fungu kubwa la mafunzo kutoka vyanzo vya nje katika kipindi hiki cha ripoti, hakukuwepo na ripoti za kufunguliwa mashtaka au kupatikana na hatia kwa wahalifu wa biashara hii. Mwezi Juni 2008, Bunge lilipitisha sheria kamili ya Kupambana na Biashara za Uuzaji wa Binadamu ya mwaka 2008, ambayo ilitiwa saini na rais mwezi August. Mwezi Februari 2009, sheria ilianza kutumika baada ya kutafsiriwa kwa lugha ya Kiswahili na kuchapishwa rasmi. Sheria hii inaelezea adhabu za kuanzia kifungo cha mwaka mmoja hadi 20 jela kutegemeana na uzito wa uhalifu, adhabu ambazo ni kali za kutosha na zinazowiana na zile zinazotolewa kwa uhalifu mwingine mkubwa. Hata hivyo, kwa sababu hakukuwepo sheria za kupinga biashara hii kwa muda mwingi wa kipindi cha ripoti hii, sheria zilizopo zinazofanya uuzaji wa watu, kutumikisha watu kwa nguvu, kutumikisha watoto, na makosa mbalimbali ya ngono kuwa vitendo vya uhalifu zilitumika katika kesi za biashara ya kusafirisha binadamu. Serikali inasemekana ilifanya upelelezi wa kesi za biashara hizi kwa kutumia sheria hizi, lakini haikutoa maelezo juu ya kushtakiwa na kupatikana na hatia kwa wale waliovunja sheria hizi katika kipindi cha mwaka. Wakichukua hatua baada ya kupata dokezo, polisi wa Mlandizi walimkamata na kumfungulia mashtaka mwanamke Mnyarwanda aliyekuwa anajaribu kusafirisha mtoto wa Kitanzania Ufaransa; tarehe ya kesi yake haijapangwa. Ingawa wizara ya Kazi inasemekana kuwa ilifanya ukaguzi na kutoa onyo kwa wavunjaji wa sheria za kutumikisha watoto, hakukuwepo na kesi mahakamani zilizoripotiwa za watoto waliolazimishwa kufanya kazi katika mwaka 2008. Kadhalika, Wizara ya kazi Zanzibar haikuchukua hatua za kisheria dhidi ya kesi yoyote ya kutumikishwa kwa watoto. Mwezi Februari 2009, serikali ilihamisha uwajibikaji kwa juhudi zote za utekelezaji wa sheria zinazopiga marufuku uuzaji wa binadamu kutoka kwa kikosi maalumu cha Kupambana na Biashara za Binadamu na kupelekwa kwa ofisi ya INTERPOL, ambayo ina mamlaka makubwa zaidi kwa uhalifu unaovuka mipaka ya nchi. Kikosi cha polisi kinachoshughulikia uhalifu wa Mitandao kilikadiria kupeleleza kesi 200 zinazohusiana na uuzaji wa binadamu tangu kilipoanzishwa mwaka 2006; hata hivyo, hakuna mtu yeyote aliyekamatwa kutokana na juhudi hizo. Mwezi Desemba 2008, serikali ilifungua chuo cha East African Regional Training Academy kwa maafisa wa uhamiaji; kadiri ya asilimia 60 ya gharama za chuo hicho zinatolewa na serikali ya Tanzania. Masomo yanayofundishwa katika chuo hicho ni pamoja na kifungu kinachoshughulikia elimu ya kupambana na biashara za uuzaji wa binadamu.

Kulindwa
Juhudi za serikali kuwalinda wahanga wa biashara hii wakati wa kipindi cha ripoti zilikuwa za kadiri na zilidhurika kwa ukosefu wa mapato. Maafisa wa serikali wakishirikiana na asasi zisizo za kiserikali (NGO's) hutoa maskani, ushauri wa nasaha na kurejeshewa hadhi ya wahanga wa biashara hii;vituo vya kuwapa makao na matunzo maalumu vilipatikana tu katika maeneo ya mijini. Ingawa Tanzania haikuwa na utaratibu wa mfumo wa rufaa kwa wahanga, polisi na wafanyikazi za jamii kila sehemu nchini walipewa mafunzo juu ya ulinzi wa wahanga na wakuu wa serikali waliwaelekeza wahanga wa biashara hii kwa asasi zisizo za kiserikali kwa msaada wakati wa kipindi cha ripoti hii. Kwa mfano, polisi na wafanyikazi za jamii waliwaelekeza wahanga 256 wa kike wa biashara hii kwa maskani yaliyoendeshwa na asasi isiyo ya kiserikali mwaka 2008. Mwezi March 2009, wafanyikazi za jamii katika mkoa wa Pwani walimchukua mtoto aliyekombolewa, na kumweka kwenye kambi ya kutunza watoto yatima na kumwandikisha shuleni. Askari kanzu wa kike, mfanyikazi wa kikosi cha polisi cha Dar-es-Salaam, alitembelea kambi hizo kuchukua matamshi ya wahanga wa biashara za ngono kwa faragha. Katikati ya mwaka 2008, serikali ilishirikiana na IOM na NGO kurasimu mpango wa rufaa kwa matunzo ya wahanga wa biashara za binadamu; utaratibu huu bado haujakamilishwa. Serikali ilichangia majengo ya kutumiwa bure na kutoa waalimu, madaktari, na wafanyikazi za jamii, kusaidia asasi zinazopambana na baishara za binadamu wakati wa kipindi cha ripoti hii. Simu maalumu ya kutoa ripoti muda wa saa 24 inayosimamiwa na maafisa wa polisi wa Tanzania ilikuwepo kwa raia wa Tanzania kutoa ripoti za siri juu ya wahanga wanaoshukiwa katika biashara za binadamu; simu hiyo maalumu iliitikia dokezo mbili zilizotolewa wakati wa kipindi cha ripoti hii. Serikali kwa ujumla ilishawishi msaada wa wahanga katika upelelezi wa wasafirishaji wao, lakini ukosefu wa uratatibu wa kitaifa kwa kutambulisha wahanga inawezekana ulisababisha kufukuzwa kwa wahanga wengi kutoka nchi za nje kabla ya kutambuliwa au kuweza kutoa ushahidi mahakamani. Bila kuwepo utaratibu rasmi wa kuwatambua wahanga kutoka nchi za nje, huenda walichukuliwa na serikali kama wahamiaji haramu na kuwekwa jela mpaka pale mipango ya kuwarejesha kwao ilipofanyika. Serikali ilifanya mipango kadhaa ya elimu kuwasaidia maafisa wa vyombo vya sheria kuwatambua wahanga wa biashara za binadamu miongoni mwa makundi ya wanyonge. Sheria ya mwaka 2008 ya Kupambana na Biashara za Watu inawapa wahanga wa kigeni njia mbadala mbali na kuhamishiwa katika nchi ambako usalama wao au usalama wa familia zao unaweza kuwa hatarini.

Kuzuia
Ingawa kutambuliwa kwa biashara za binadamu kuliongezeka zaidi nchini Tanzania, kukiwa pamoja na katika jamii za maeneo ya mashambani, uelewa wa kile kinachomaanishwa na biashara ya binadamu umeendelea kuwa mdogo; maafisa wa vyombo vya sheria na maafisa wa ustawi wa jamii mara nyingi walichanganya biashara za binadamu na biashara za magendo. Mwezi April, 2008 serikali ilitoa mwongozo wa kuingilia kati utumikishaji wa watoto katika kiwango cha wilaya na jumuiya ambao ulitekelezwa kwa kiasi fulani. Kwa mfano, kuzuia kutumikisha watoto katika kazi na uuzaji, waalimu, polisi na wakaguzi wa wafanyikazi walifuatilia suala hili na wazazi kuamua kama watoto waliokuwa wamekosekana shuleni wamelazimishwa kufanya kazi za utumishi majumbani au aina nyinginezo za kazi. Ingawa hakukuwa na ripoti za maafisa wa serikali katika eneo wakiwachukulia wazazi hatua za kisheria, hofu iliyojitokeza ya kufunguliwa mashtaka ilipunguza kwa kiasi kikubwa sana upatikanaji wa watoto wanaofanya kazi za utumishi majumbani mjini Dar-es-Salaam kufikia mwisho wa mwaka. Kamati za Maeneo Kuhusu Utumikishaji wa Watoto, ambazo zinashirikisha maafisa wa serikali katika eneo, zilishirikiana na ILO-IPEC kuwatambua na kuwaondoa watoto katika hali za kulazimishwa kufanya kazi na kuwaandikisha katika shule za serikali au vituo vya Mafunzo vya Jumuiya-vinavyoendeshwa na Wizara ya Elimu. Maafisa wa ngazi za juu wa kitaifa na eneo walionekana katika matukio yanayohusiana na kampeni za taifa za IOM, "Uwe Sauti Yao". Katika juhudi za kupunguza mahitaji ya vitendo vya ngono katika biashara, mwezi Juni 2008, polisi wa Dar-es-Salaam walikamata na kuwafungulia mashtaka wanawake na wanaume 38-mama wanaomiliki danguro, makahaba na wateja wao-katika mashtaka ya kuweka madanguro na kutafuta huduma za ngono. Watuhumiwa wote waliachiwa huru kwa dhamana au kwa kulipa faini; tarehe za kesi hazijapangwa. Wanajeshi wote wa Tanzania walimaliza kifungu juu ya kuheshimu haki za binadamu na mwingilio katika biashara za kuuza binadamu kama sehemu ya mafunzo yao ya msingi. Wanajeshi walipewa mafunzo zaidi juu ya haki za binadamu, ikiwa pamoja na vikao juu ya jinsia na haki za wanawake, kulindwa kwa raia, na sheria za kimataifa kuhusu ubinadamu, kabla ya kupelekwa kushika zamu katika mazoezi ya ulinzi wa amani ya kimataifa.

 

[Babylon]

Many trafficked women are forced to work as prostitutes in brothels.

By KEN OPALA

Thousands of Kenyans are being driven into modern slavery abroad in their desperate attempts to escape from worsening economic conditions at home.

Related Stories

How human cargo is trafficked through Kenya
Traders in humans risk life imprisonment
Lack of laws condemns job-seekers
Nation investigations show that nearly 20,000 Kenyans fall prey to human trafficking cartels yearly and are living in appalling conditions in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

The case of a 14-year-old girl rescued in the United Kingdom is a stark reminder of the growing trade in humans.

She had been moved to Liverpool by a man who locked her in a house and forced her to have sex with numerous people. Luckily she escaped and she is now under the care of a charity in the UK.

Her plight came to light on July 8, when UK Conservative Party MP Peter Bone of Wellingborough told Westminster Hall.

“(She) was a black girl from Kenya. She came in on a passport that did not have her name or photograph on it, but was allowed into the country.”

Apart from the revelation by Mr Bone, little information is available about the girl. The Kenyan High Commission was not forthcoming when this writer used a London contact to seek more information about the girl.

Yet what emerges from this case is that Kenya has become a key operation base for cartels that are turning 17,500 Kenyans (according to estimates by Randy Fleitman, until recently the US Labour Attache, in Nairobi) into bondage abroad — about one in 40 people trafficked worldwide.

The cartels have also been bringing into Kenya Ugandans, Tanzanians, Indians, Chinese, Pakistani, Bangladeshis and Congolese, who are forced to work in construction industry and the EPZ factories, and as prostitutes in brothels in Nairobi.

After rescuing two Kenyan children in Tanzania last year, police believe another 40 minors and six adults are living there as slaves.

Police sources say investigations have also moved to The Netherlands and Ireland where five children are believed to be living in similar circumstances.

Source: Daily Nation

Bought or stolen

kwani wakenya tu njoo hapa Hambug ujionee ndugu zenu fungu shilingi utafikiri wameziazima.

 

[Mbonea]

kwani wakenya tu njoo hapa Hambug ujionee ndugu zenu fungu shilingi utafikiri wameziazima.

Na ndy maana nika-weka rangi kwa TZ pia.