Over 50 Ethiopian aliens arrested in Kasarani

Police in Nairobi on Wednesday night arrested more than 50 Ethiopian aliens in a house at Kasarani area for being in the country illegally.

Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth Koome said police were tipped off by members of the public on the whereabouts of the aliens.

He noted that immigration officials have raised alarm over the increased cases of Ethiopian aliens being nabbed in the country while on transit to either Tanzania or South Africa.

In August 14 Ethiopian aliens were arrested at Chumvi Trading Centre in Machakos along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

In the same month, police in Meru arrested 40 Ethiopian aliens who were alleged to be on their way to South Africa through Kenya, hiding in an abandoned house at Mwonyone village.

Cases of illegal immigrants in the country have continued to be reported despite roadblocks by the police and the popularisation of the Nyumba Kumi Initiative.

Fears of police involvement in the illegal human trafficking trade have been expressed after another incident in August where 80 aliens were arrested in Laare Maua, Meru County being ferried in a General Service Unit (GSU) truck.

A report from the International Organisation for Migration indicates that more than Ksh90 million is illegally earned by human traffickers monthly by smuggling Ethiopian nationals across the Kenya–Ethiopia border with the prospect of sending them by road to South Africa.

The report further shows that an average of 30 Ethiopians illegally cross the border daily in a racket that has been going on for the last 15 years.

Early last year, 95 Ethiopians were arrested near the Kenya-Tanzania border on their way to South Africa.

Koome said the aliens were expected to appear in court Thursday.