TITLE:
Nature of Human Trafficking to Saudi Arabia from Murang’ a South Sub-County, Kenya
AUTHORS:
Stephen Mburu Munania, Elijah Onyango Standslause Odhiambo, Sussy Namaemba Kimokoti
KEYWORDS:
Forced Labour, Foreign Policy, Human Trafficking, Murang’a South Sub-County, Kenya
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.9 No.9,
September
19,
2022
ABSTRACT: Human trafficking is identified as one of the most widespread organized crimes against humanity across the globe. The vice has huge implications for human rights and human dignity in the civilized world. While large scores of profits and influence for criminal organizations fuel human trafficking, it is also coupled with human suffering, deaths, exploitation, slavery and loss of human dignity for its victims. Therein, this study sorts to explore the nature of human trafficking to Saudi Arabia from Murang’a South sub-county. The paper was informed by foreign policy analysis theories that included the Actor specific theory, decision making theory, comparative foreign policy theory and of transnational organized crime theory. Exploratory research design was employed to establish the prevalence levels of human trafficking and the factors influencing human trafficking in Murang’a South Sub-County. Purposive sampling and snowballing sampling techniques were used to gather sample population. Primary data was collected through surveys, interviews and focus group discussions, while secondary data through foreign and public policy document analysis. The researcher used Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) for data analysis. Consequently, Data was presented using tables, charts, bar charts and graphs to underscore various relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The findings of the research indicated that human trafficking is an ongoing contemporary social problem rooted in intergenerational occupational injustices and factors such as poverty, level of education, ignorance and criminal activities. These factors of predisposition are further compounded by insufficient government regulation and enforcement failures that occur on various paths of public service delivery. The study noted that the increase in bilateral trade ties between Kenya and Saudi Arabia and the promise of employment lured many victims to traps of human traffickers. The study recommends that Kenya should create awareness and education campaign on susceptibility to human trafficking through enforcement and implementation of anti-trafficking strategies.