As the sun set over Lake Turkana, Senait Mebrehtu wept, casting flowers into the water in memory of her daughter, Hiyab, who tragically drowned while trying to reach Kenya via a perilous route exploited by human smugglers. Three years ago, Senait, an Eritrean seeking asylum, made her way to the shores of this expansive lake, hoping to understand where her 14-year-old daughter had lost her life to dangerous tides and negligence from traffickers.
Senait had arrived in Kenya on a tourist visa, escaping a regime characterized by strict militarization and forced labor practices in Eritrea. Due to age restrictions, she could only bring two of her younger children with her, leaving behind Hiyab and her older sister. Driven by a desperate plea for freedom, the teenagers sought the guidance of relatives who opted to contact smugglers for their escape.
The journey from Eritrea to Kenya involved weeks of treacherous travel through Ethiopia before reaching the northeastern shores of Lake Turkana. A female smuggler confirmed the rise of this dangerous "digital route," noting that with increased police vigilance on roads, Lake Turkana has become a favored crossing point for desperate migrants seeking refuge.
The smugglers' means, however, come with severe risks. The female trafficker, earning exorbitant fees for transporting migrants, cautioned potential travelers about the precarious conditions of their journey. She expressed empathy as a mother, acknowledging the harrowing outcomes that sometimes result.
Osman, an Eritrean traveler who witnessed the fateful boat capsizing, reported that Hiyab's vessel overturned just 300 meters into the water. After the tragic incident, Senait blamed the smugglers for the negligence, stating that they had overloaded the boat over its capacity, resulting in a relentless death toll.
Local fishermen have reported sightings of bodies believed to be from similar migrant tragedies, highlighting the grim reality surrounding these crossings. The UN refugee agency confirms that 345,000 Eritrean refugees now reside in East Africa, many seeking safety from conscription amidst regional conflict.
Legal experts note an uptick in Eritreans fleeing due to turmoil in politically unstable neighbors like Ethiopia and Sudan. The smuggling networks that exploit this desperation operate extensively, often routing migrants to various destinations for asylum beyond Kenya.
Inside Nairobi, smuggled migrants are oftentimes placed in “holding houses” while awaiting further arrangements. Tragically, some perish from hunger and neglect, with the smugglers reportedly dismissing their deaths as unfortunate circumstances.
For Senait, the pain of losing a daughter remains profound and unresolved as she reflects on the nature of sacrifice families make in hopes of a better life. "May God heal our land and deliver us from all this,” she remarked, encapsulating the plight of many who grapple with loss amidst the quest for freedom.
