NAIROBI, Kenya — The horrifying reality of child sex exploitation in Maai Mahiu has sparked outrage from Kenya’s women governors, who are demanding swift and uncompromising action against those responsible.
Led by Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, the G7 Women Governors’ Caucus called the abuse of minors—many of them girls as young as 12—“abhorrent” and “inhumane,” following the release of the BBC Africa Eye documentary “Madams: Exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade.”
The investigative piece revealed how vulnerable children are lured into the trade by so-called “madams” and subjected to sexual exploitation under a web of poverty, manipulation, and impunity.
‘No Child Should Be for Sale’
In a strongly worded statement, the governors said the situation was a “gross violation of human rights” and a “direct assault” on children’s dignity, safety, and future.
“We cannot, and must not, turn a blind eye while children are robbed of their innocence, manipulated, and abused under the veil of poverty, impunity, and systemic neglect,” the caucus said.
They urged the Ministry of Interior, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to launch thorough investigations — not just targeting traffickers, but also facilitators and clients. Corrupt or complicit law enforcement officers, they added, must face the full force of the law.
The governors stressed that justice must go hand in hand with comprehensive care for survivors. They called for a multi-agency rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration programme offering medical treatment, education, and psychosocial support.
They also pledged to collaborate with civil society, faith-based organisations, local leaders, and international partners to strengthen child protection systems across all counties.
“No child should be for sale. No child should be invisible,” the statement read, while calling on authorities to address root causes like poverty, lack of education, and weak enforcement of child protection laws.
Waiguru: ‘Heartbreaking and Unacceptable’
In a separate statement, Governor Waiguru condemned the abuse in personal terms.
“What is happening to our children in Maai Mahiu is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” she said. “We stand united as #G7WomenGovernors in demanding urgent action to rescue, protect, and restore the lives of these children, and to hold every perpetrator accountable.”
The National Police Service (NPS) has since confirmed it has opened investigations into the allegations, following the international spotlight shone by the BBC documentary.
For Kenya’s women governors, however, the message is clear: justice delayed is justice denied — and the country cannot afford to look away.
