A documentary by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Africa on Monday, 16 November, highlighted the turmoil of an underground children’s smuggling operation with strong ties in Kenya.
The foreign media penetrated the smuggling operation that relies heavily on stealing infants from their mothers and selling them for as little as Ksh.43,000.
Desperate women have fallen victims to this scheme as they pursue alternatives to abortion restrictions in the region. Some needy mothers, who struggle under the weight of severe poverty, prefer to sell their newborn babies in order to maintain their livelihood.
The group, which ranges from helpless opportunists to organized criminals, then source potential buyers who may be interested in trading.
Some mothers find themselves against aggressive gangs that snatch their babies from the streets and delivery wards in order to keep the business running.
“Sometimes we will speak to the mother first, to try and see if they know what we plan to do.
“Sometimes we will drug the mother, give her sleeping pills or glue. Sometimes we will play with the kid. We have lots of ways to get kids,” stated a woman speaking to a BBC correspondent who posed as a buyer.
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