Police rescue 65 Ethiopian nationals from house in Mihang’o, Nairobi, three Kenyans arrested
Police rescued 65 Ethiopian nationals from a house in Mihang’o, Nairobi, where they were found in an emaciated and weakened state.
The discovery was made in the early hours of Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after a caretaker reported seeing foreign nationals inside the house along Gesora Road, prompting officers from Mihang’o Police Station to visit the premises.
According to police, they established that 65 Ethiopian nationals were being housed in the building. All reportedly appeared emaciated and physically weak. It is not clear how long they had been there. Locals said they had been seeing the foreigners for almost a week and they shared two rooms.
They told police they were headed for South Africa for jobs. They added they had been ferried there through the main border near Moyale.
Three Kenyan nationals were also found inside the house and subsequently arrested for questioning over suspected human trafficking.
The three are expected to face further police action as investigators seek to establish how the Ethiopian nationals arrived at the premises, the circumstances under which they were being held and whether an organised trafficking network was involved.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) personnel from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kayole processed and documented the scene.
The 65 Ethiopian nationals were escorted to Kayole Police Station as authorities coordinated further action.
Investigations are ongoing, with police expected to establish the identities of those involved and determine whether the rescued individuals were victims of human trafficking or other forms of exploitation.
Such cases of human smuggling have been on the rise amid efforts to tame the same. The foreigners endure long journey as the seek greener pastures in South Africa, Tanzania and the Middle East.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the country involving Ethiopians and Eritreans.
The group said they were running from problems in their country and headed to South Africa, seeking greener pastures.
Police said most of the aliens use the Moyale route as they head to South Africa and the Middle East, oblivious of the dangers ahead.
Tens of aliens are often arrested in various places in the country as they wait to be moved to their next destinations.
Police and immigration officials have deplored increased cases of Ethiopian and Eritrean aliens nabbed in the country while in transit.
Officials from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit are conducting joint operations to deal with human smuggling.
Tens of Ethiopians and now Eritreans are annually arrested in Kenya while in transit and later repatriated back to their countries.
Most of those arrested come to Kenya to seek jobs or are in transit to other countries like South Africa and the Middle East.
