Nairobi, March 28, 2024 – Authorities in Nairobi are currently investigating the mysterious death of a young Ethiopian man, whose emaciated body was discovered on the roadside in the Mwiki area of the city. The grim finding was made by police on patrol along the Mwiki-Njiru Road on Wednesday night, March 27.
The deceased, identified as Jemesgen Woloro Mujomo, born in 1994, was found with an Ethiopian identity card. Despite initial examinations, police have stated that there were no visible injuries on the body. The remains have been transferred to the mortuary pending further forensic analysis, including an autopsy, to determine the cause of death.
Authorities suspect that Mujomo might be one of several individuals who are clandestinely smuggled into the country. This discovery sheds light on a larger issue of human trafficking and smuggling, particularly concerning immigrants from Ethiopia and Eritrea who traverse Kenya en route to other destinations across Africa and the Middle East in search of better opportunities.
According to police reports, Mujomo’s case is not an isolated one. In January alone, five Ethiopian nationals lost their lives in separate incidents while being smuggled through Kenya. The police have been actively engaged in combating these illegal activities, with over 500 Ethiopians rescued from smugglers in the same month, highlighting the scale of the issue.
The Moyale route has emerged as a prominent passage for these migrants, as they endeavor to reach countries like South Africa and the Middle East. Despite the numerous police roadblocks along this route, many immigrants manage to evade detection, often traveling in groups to avoid scrutiny.
The influx of migrants has raised concerns among officials, who stress the need for coordinated efforts to address the problem of human smuggling and trafficking. Joint operations involving the Transnational Organized Crime unit are underway to tackle this pressing issue.
It remains perplexing to authorities how these immigrants successfully navigate through the extensive network of roadblocks, indicating the sophistication of the smuggling operations. With over 20 roadblocks on the Moyale route alone, there is a growing urgency for security agents to tighten measures to curb these practices effectively.
The tragic death of Jemesgen Woloro Mujomo serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants in their quest for a better life. As investigations continue, authorities are committed to unraveling the circumstances surrounding his demise and intensifying efforts to combat human smuggling and trafficking in the region.