NAIROBI, Kenya – The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has defended its recent investigation into Kenya’s child sex trade, rejecting claims by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen that the victims featured were not minors at the time of their abuse.
In a statement on Wednesday, the broadcaster said its documentary — Madams: Exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade — was an important public-interest investigation documenting the exploitation of children in the country’s sex industry.
The film, shot in Mai Mahiu, featured testimonies from survivors of childhood sexual abuse who were all over 18 at the time of the interviews but recounted abuse suffered as minors.
“As clearly stated in the film, the survivors of abuse who were interviewed were all over 18 and recounted experiences of abuse that occurred when they were underage,” the BBC said. “We are thankful to the survivors for their brave contributions.”
The broadcaster also confirmed that none of the participants were paid, offered payment, or coached, stressing the authenticity of their accounts.
Police Briefed Before Broadcast
The BBC said it had shared its evidence with Kenyan police months before airing the film in March 2025, identifying perpetrators and victims in need of urgent assistance.
“We have since made repeated contact with the police to get them to act on the evidence. We urge the Kenyan authorities to take action against the perpetrators identified,” the statement read.
The corporation also expressed concern that survivors were later questioned at length by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers without legal representation.
Murkomen’s Claims
On August 13, Murkomen told Parliament that some of those interviewed in the documentary were “mature people posing as minors” and described the BBC report as “fake.”
“That is not to say there may be no cases of sexual exploitation of young people in the country,” he added, noting he had reviewed the identities and backgrounds of those featured.
The documentary has sparked intense public debate over the extent of child sexual exploitation in Kenya and how authorities handle such cases.
