Why Athi-River is safe haven for human smugglers
Eastern
By
Pkemoi Ng'enoh
| Sep 27, 2025
Located along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, the Athi River area has become synonymous with cases of human trafficking.
The estates around the trading centre in Machakos county sit at a strategic location with available apartments and short proximity to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
On September 24, 2025, for instance, the Transnational Organised Crime Unit of the DCI led other security officers in an intelligence-led operation at Great Wall apartments in Athi River where 21 Kenyans were found housed awaiting processing to Russia.
During the raid, the officers arrested Edward Kamau Gituku who was coordinating the processing of the victims to travel to Russia on diverse dates in September and October for enlistment in the military under the guise of lucrative jobs abroad.
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When The Saturday Standard visited the apartments on Friday, tenants were running their activities as usual, with some unaware of what had been happening within the complex.
To access the apartments, one must clear the security by giving the exact details of the house one is heading to so as to keep out the intruders.
Thus, for many reports that some 21 people were being housed there remains a mystery even though some residents claimed that the youthful men were living in Phase 4.
“Some houses here are rented as AirBnBs because the owners are not around,” a resident told The Standard, adding they raised suspicion after several young men were spotted with the estate.
Notably, most of the houses here are three-bedroomed in a neighborhood that has been branded a city within a city, citing available comforts including health facilities, a mall and prestigious schools within walking distance.
“Most of the people who rent the Airbnb are foreigners who are on short stay, they prefer this place because the airport is not far and there is less traffic compared to other parts of Nairobi,” the resident added.
The 21 victims rescued revealed to the DCI officers that they had signed an agreement with an unnamed overseas employment support agency binding them to pay between Sh1.6 million and Sh2.3 million for visas, travel, accommodation and logistics.
But those who fail to pay within 35 days are charged a one percent daily penalty. Some of the victims indicated that they had already paid deposits ranging from Sh50,000 to 100,000 upon being promised a salary of Sh200,000.
Not long ago, police in Athi-River arrested 131 Ethiopian nationals for allegedly being in the country illegally.
The foreigners were flushed out from a rented house at Sabaki estate within Athi River town suburbs in an operation conducted by officers from the National Police who included Transnational Crime detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The foreigners, who were all men did not have identification documents and legal entry documents permitting their presence in the country.
In 2024, Kenya’s police reported the arrest and rescue of 1,019 illegal immigrants. Among them, 968 were Ethiopians, 46 were Eritreans, and 5 were Burundians.
For instance, on January 2, 2024, authorities nabbed a human trafficker in Lucky Summer and rescued 73 Ethiopians.
Last year, a Ugandan was convicted of trafficking at the Kahawa Law Courts and sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the option of paying a Sh20 million fine.