Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Bernard Kitur has alleged threats to his life after he exposed the vast spread of the international organ trafficking syndicate, with roots in Kenya, which has been carrying out illegal organ transplants.
The MP said the network goes beyond the Mediheal Group of Hospitals, which has been linked to the illegal trade in the North Rift region.
A recent investigation by Deutsche Welle (DW), in collaboration with ZDF and Der Spiegel, shed light on this transnational organ trafficking syndicate operating in Kenya.
The exposé revealed that vulnerable individuals, particularly young men from impoverished backgrounds, were lured into selling their kidneys with promises of substantial payments.
However, many received only a fraction of the promised amounts, with some donors reporting payments as low as Ksh50,000 before surgery and Ksh400,000 afterward, far less than the Ksh1.2 million they were promised.
Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Bernard Kitur, who has been vocal about the issue, testified before the National Assembly Health Committee, stating that the network extends beyond the Mediheal Group of Hospitals.
He claimed that multiple private health institutions, both licensed and unlicensed, are complicit in illegal kidney transplants and unethical organ procurement practices.
The investigation also uncovered that affluent patients from countries such as Israel, Germany, Uganda, and Sudan traveled to Kenya for these illicit transplants, paying up to Ksh30 million for kidneys.
Meanwhile, the donors, often misled and exploited, were left with deteriorating health conditions and minimal compensation.
In response to these revelations, Kenyan Health Minister Aden Duale announced the suspension of kidney transplant services at Mediheal Hospital and initiated a comprehensive review of all kidney transplant services conducted at the facility over the past five years.
MP Kitur has expressed concerns for his safety, reporting that his life is in danger due to his efforts to expose the syndicate. He has called for full compensation for the victims, many of whom are now worse off and require regular medication following their surgeries.
