“Over 600 trafficked Kenyans stranded in Southeast Asia”, 27 February 2026

The High Court in Nairobi has certified a lawsuit seeking to compel the Kenyan government to rescue, evacuate, and repatriate more than 600 Kenyan nationals stranded in Cambodia. The court on Wednesday said that the over 600 Kenyans, who claim to have been trafficked and subjected to exploitative and forced labour conditions, require urgent government intervention. In a case filed at the High Court, the group said they travelled to Southeast Asia after being promised legitimate jobs, only to find themselves confined in a heavily guarded compound.

According to the legal documents, the site was ring-fenced with high walls and barbed wire, and movement was tightly controlled. The immigrants alleged they were made to work punishing hours, sometimes up to 16 hours a day, under intense pressure to meet strict targets. Some reported physical abuse and untreated injuries, including stab wounds. The filings do not confirm the exact nature of the work but note that authorities across Cambodia have recently been dismantling facilities linked to online fraud networks, which have expanded across parts of the region. The situation reportedly shifted after local security forces raided the premises, prompting those running the operation to flee. The Kenyans said they were left behind and are now sheltering in difficult conditions, without adequate food, medical care or the means to leave the country. Their legal challenge asks the court to order Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry and other state agencies to intervene urgently, by providing consular assistance, issuing temporary travel documents and arranging evacuation flights.

The immigrants remind the Kenyan state that it has a constitutional obligation to protect citizens from exploitation, including when they are abroad. They also said Cambodian authorities have instructed them to exit the country by February 28 or risk legal consequences, including possible detention. Many claim they cannot afford the cost of returning home on their own. The court sets strict timelines for compliance as the matter proceeds under a certificate of urgency.