By Robert Segawa
A total of 3,777 human trafficking cases have been prosecuted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) since 2023, according to data from the DPP’s mobile application. These cases involved 5,872 victims, while 516 perpetrators have been convicted.
According to Derrick Basalirwa Kigenyi, the Deputy National Coordinator for Trafficking in Persons at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 80% of these cases involved the trafficking of children. He also noted that 77% of the offenders are men.
Kigenyi revealed that girls aged 18 to 19 and women between the ages of 30 and 49 are the most targeted victims, primarily for sexual exploitation and forced labou r.
He emphasized that the ministry has made significant progress, ensuring traffickers face not just fines but also imprisonment.
The Ministry also raised concern about a new form of cross-border human trafficking involving Somali nationals. Victims are being trafficked through Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, and into Libya.
“We have discovered that many of them were smuggled in the boots of saloon cars, taxis, and buses, while others were found hidden in hotel rooms in towns near border points,” said Kigenyi.
In response, the ministry has increased surveillance at border crossings and is training staff to better identify and combat trafficking activities.
