119 Kenyans rescued from Myanmar scam camps as 86 resist return

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. [File, Standard]

The government has repatriated 119 Kenyans from scam compounds in Myanmar as dozens continue to resist evacuation efforts and demand government-funded travel.

In a statement on Monday, December 22, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs said 198 Kenyans remain stranded across the region awaiting repatriation, including 129 in shelters in Myanmar, 66 at Thailand's Immigration Detention Centre and three at a Caritas Catholic safe house in Cambodia.

Officials revealed that  86 Kenyans housed in military shelters initially declined to cooperate, demanding government-funded tickets and spreading false claims on social media.

The group later shared next-of-kin details on December 19, allowing evacuation plans to resume.

Criminal syndicates set up the scam compounds in remote areas of Karen State near the Thailand border, recruiting workers under false job offers to run online fraud schemes, the department said.

Some camps operated under the protection of rebel groups.

Myanmar government forces raided the facilities in September, triggering arrests, seizures, bombings and demolitions. The operation fuelled clashes between government forces and rival rebel factions.

The syndicates fled during the raids, abandoning workers, including more than 200 Kenyans.

 Many sought refuge in military shelters in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko, while another group crossed into Thailand, officials said.

The government activated rescue efforts upon receiving an initial list of 126 Kenyans. Officials created WhatsApp groups linking families for updates and coordinated ticket purchases.

They negotiated discounted group fares with Kenya Airways and issued Emergency Travel Documents to those without passports.

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs funded transport from shelters to airports and coordinated safe passage with Thai authorities via the Thai-Myanmar Second Friendship Bridge.

Seven Kenyans remain pending rebooking after last-minute flight cancellations. Regional borders closed for the holidays, with departures expected to resume after the festive period.

Upon arrival in Kenya, evacuees are interviewed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Transnational Organised Crime Unit to support prosecutions against trafficking syndicates.

The department said counselling services are being offered to returnees and their families.

The government said most Kenyans seeking repatriation entered Thailand on tourist visas between April 2024 and November 2025 despite clear restrictions on employment.

"When stopped at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, most insisted they were travelling for tourism," the department noted.

Officials added that some bypassed earlier evacuations, including a major operation in March, and knowingly returned to scam work.