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The National Police Service (NPS) has mounted a response following the release of a BBC Africa Eye documentary, 'Madams: Exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade', which uncovered widespread child sexual exploitation in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County.
In a press statement issued from NPS Headquarters on August 6, the Office of the Inspector General confirmed that a multi-agency team, including officers from the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU), was deployed to Maai Mahiu.
National Police Service spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga issued the statement
Statements have been recorded from three persons of interest and 'immediate steps' taken to identify, rescue and support the affected children, the statement said.
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Investigations remain ongoing with the aim of arresting and prosecuting those responsible.
In line with Article 53(1) of the Constitution of Kenya and Section 8 of the Children Act (2022), the DCI is fully committed to ensuring that all reported cases of child trafficking, sexual abuse, exploitation, and related crimes are thoroughly investigated, guaranteeing that every child grows up safely and has the opportunity to thrive. We must reaffirm a fundamental tenet: that our children are our future.
The NPS also drew attention to a newly established forensic cybercrime unit which is linked directly to INTERPOL’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database.
Staffed by cyber-crime specialists and collaborating with the International Victim Identification Network (VIN), the unit aims to identify and rescue children depicted in exploitative online content.
Citizens have been urged to collaborate proactively with law enforcement. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact their nearest police station, the confidential toll-free numbers (999, 112, 0800 722 203) or the end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp line on 0709 570 000.
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Martha Karua reacts
Martha Karua, leader of the People’s Liberation Party, described the BBC documentary as heartbreaking and a serious indictment of systemic failure.
Martha Karua
In a statement posted on X on August 6, Karua called for urgent justice and reform.
Outrage is not enough. We need urgent justice and reform! We demand all individuals and networks implicated in these trafficking rings be arrested and prosecuted! There should be zero protection for predators, regardless of their status.
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BBC Africa Eye documentary
Broadcast on August 4 2025, the half-hour-long investigation saw two undercover journalists pose as aspiring 'madams' to expose how women in Maai Mahiu recruit and traffic girls as young as 12 for sexual exploitation.
Secret recordings reveal conversations with two key figures in the local sex trade, who openly admitted to normalising child prostitution for profit and described the methods used to conceal minors from police and community members.
Collage of two ladies alleged to be perpetrators of child exploitation by a BBC Africa Eye documentary
The BBC confirmed that it provided all evidence to Kenyan authorities in March 2025, but says that no arrests had been made until the NPS response this week.
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Maai Mahiu lies along the busy Nairobi–Nakuru Road, a thoroughfare frequented by long-distance truck drivers.
The documentary alleges that this transient population fuels demand for underage sex.
While local communities have long raised concerns about child exploitation in the region, the BBC’s exposé prompted a national outcry and renewed calls for accountability from both government and civil-society actors.