In a surprising turn of events, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has publicly condemned the recent BBC Africa Eye documentary, “Madams: Exposing Kenya’s Child Sex Trade,” labeling it an attempt to tarnish the country’s reputation.
The documentary, which aired on August 4, 2025, brought to light the disturbing issue of child sex trafficking in Maai Mahiu.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Murkomen dismissed the documentary’s findings, claiming its premise was fundamentally flawed.
He alleged that the BBC team enticed some of the girls interviewed with promises of sponsorship, leading them to falsify their ages to participate. “
The documentary failed to reach the intended purpose due to falsified information from several interviewees,” Murkomen stated.
While the documentary has sparked public outrage and led to formal investigations, Murkomen’s focus shifted to the journalists themselves.
He issued a stern warning, indicating that police would take action against them.
“Our Investigations have established that the BBC team primarily sought underage girls involved in sex work. However, some of the girls falsified their age to qualify for the promised sponsorship by the BBC team,” he elaborated, adding that authorities are now tracing witnesses and scrutinizing financial records and call data.
The exposé had provided a harrowing look into the lives of young girls, with one woman identified as Nyambura stating, “Prostitution is a cash crop in Maai Mahiu; the truckers basically fuel it. And that’s how we benefit. It’s been normalised in Maai Mahiu.”
Despite the CS’s dismissive stance, the government has already initiated a response. The National Police Service (NPS) launched an investigation shortly after the documentary’s release.
Additionally, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to conduct a probe and submit its findings within seven days.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the sex trafficking allegations, as the focus appears to be on the documentary’s producers.
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