Geoffrey Mosiria, the Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment, has urged authorities to step in and address the growing exploitation of people living with disabilities (PWDs) in the Central Business District.
Speaking through his social media pages on Saturday, October 4, Mosiria revealed that he has received alarming reports indicating that PWDs are being trafficked and forced to beg for the benefit of criminal groups.
According to the reports he received, the victims are allegedly kept in the same premises and transported daily into the city center to collect money from unsuspecting members of the public.
“I have been receiving disturbing reports from concerned citizens about cartels believed to be trafficking persons with disabilities from neighboring countries into Nairobi,” Mosiria stated.
“The reports allege that these individuals are accommodated in one location and ferried every day to the streets to beg.”
He went on to say that the victims are not only forced into begging but are also kept under strict surveillance by the cartels to ensure they comply with instructions. Once the collected donations reach a set amount, the money is taken from them by the handlers.
It is further claimed that each person with a disability is assigned a handler who monitors their movements and activities, and once the donations hit a target amount, the cash is confiscated.
Calling for immediate action, Mosiria condemned the practice as inhumane and exploitative.
“This is a deeply troubling and exploitative practice,” he said.
“I urge the relevant authorities to carry out thorough investigations and take strong action to protect the dignity and rights of persons with disabilities.”
This is not the first time Mosiria has raised alarm over such issues. In June, he exposed another scheme involving beggars who reportedly rent young children and pretend they are their own to win sympathy and exploit the public.
During that period, he announced a crackdown on “fake beggars” in the CBD, stressing that removing them from the streets would help shield the children from harsh conditions and abuse.
A 2022 report by the European Disability Forum highlighted that individuals with physical or visible disabilities face a higher risk of being trafficked for forced begging, as their conditions tend to attract more public sympathy.
The report also warned that women and girls with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities are especially vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
Traffickers often consider them easier to control because they may not quickly recognize the abuse or may struggle to report it in a way that is taken seriously.
In related developments, a judge recently called on the government to increase funding to fight human trafficking.
The current allocation stands at just Ksh328,000, which he said is insufficient. He also noted that inadequate training among prosecutors and judicial officers continues to slow down efforts to combat trafficking effectively.
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