Thursday October 20, 2016
A Bill seeking to ban human trafficking in East Africa has been passed by the East African Legislative Assembly.
The bill now awaits assent by the EAC heads of state. If assented to, it will take precedence over the laws of partner states. The Bill provides a legal framework for the prevention of trafficking, the prosecution of perpetrators and provisions for the protection of victims.
The debate on the Bill was preceeded by the tabling of the Report of the Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges on the EAC Anti-Trafficking in Persons Bill, 2016.
According to the report, trafficking in persons is prevalent in all EAC states. According to the Trafficking in Persons Report, Kenya and Uganda are grouped under tier two, which comprises countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.