GARISSA, Kenya, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government has warned commuter bus companies and other transporters against aiding aliens from neighboring Somalia to make their way to Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Northeastern Regional Commissioner Mohamed Birik told journalists in Garissa on Sunday that the government is closely monitoring the bus companies and the transporters with a view of taking stern measures against them.
Birik said it has been established that bus companies and transporters in the region play a significant role in the matters of transit of aliens.
"We want to ask all the bus companies not to engage in this illicit business of transporting aliens in this region. We know and understand that some of these aliens are indeed possibly members of the al-Shabab terror group," Birik said.
The administrator said to curb the vice, the government will increase and enhance the road blocks and in particularly the Modigar and Tana Bridge.
Cases of human smuggling have been on the rise in the region with hundreds of young men from neighboring countries finding their way into South Africa through Kenya in search of employment.
The authorities said several aliens who find their way into the Kenyan police cells have tripled in the past few weeks over stretching the capacity of the cells in the East African nation.
