For years, Kenya has portrayed itself as a growing economic hub in East Africa. But beneath the surface lies a dangerous underworld trade that’s now been exposed in a damning report by SwissAid. The report, released last month, reveals that Kenya is a key player in one of Africa’s most secretive and dangerous operations—gold smuggling.
Gold is flowing illegally from war-torn countries like South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo through Kenya and onto markets in Dubai. While leaders smile for photos at State House, shady deals and undeclared gold shipments move through Nairobi’s airports and borders.
How Kenya Became the Center of Gold Smuggling in East Africa
Over the last decade, Kenya has quietly built a reputation not just for tourism or innovation—but for gold smuggling. SwissAid’s report paints a bleak picture. Kenya has become the top smuggling hub for gold sourced from conflict-ridden nations. The report estimates that more than two tons of gold leave Kenya illicitly every year.
In contrast, Kenya declared just 672 kilograms of gold exports in 2023. This discrepancy exposes a massive underground pipeline of wealth—gold that flows into Kenya and then vanishes from the official record.
Most of this gold ends up in Dubai, often declared only once it reaches the UAE. SwissAid says official statistics show more gold imported from Kenya into Dubai than what Kenya claims to produce or import. That means Kenya is moving a lot more gold than it admits.
“Most of the gold that is smuggled out of Kenya is shipped to Dubai and declared for import there,” the report says. It also reveals that this gold mostly comes from informal or illegal sources—especially small-scale miners in Kenya or conflict regions like South Sudan and the DRC.
Kenya’s official gold production comes from just two licensed medium-scale mines. These mines send their gold to reputable refiners in South Africa and Switzerland. But what about the rest? SwissAid says it’s being smuggled—either undeclared local production or gold flowing in from across the borders.
Even more troubling, the report points to secret deals involving Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia accused of war crimes. SwissAid found reports that gold from Sudan is being transported through Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, then rerouted to Dubai.
This isn’t just a business problem. It’s a regional crisis. Gold money fuels conflict, funds armed groups, and feeds corruption. And Kenya is letting it happen.
Government and Military Links to the Smuggling Pipeline
The SwissAid report doesn’t name specific Kenyan officials, but it raises serious questions about how this gold moves so freely. Earlier this year, President William Ruto met with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the RSF, at State House in Nairobi.
This meeting raised eyebrows, especially with the timing—just months before SwissAid’s gold smuggling report went public. While Kenya claims to support peace in Sudan, the country’s trade routes are quietly moving Sudanese gold into global markets.
SwissAid’s research reveals a systematic cover-up. Kenya’s government records show far less gold activity than what appears in global trade data. That gap can only mean one thing—officials are either unaware or complicit.
Efforts to curb the trade have so far been weak. Kenya now says it will create a special Mining Police Unit. It also wants regional governments to approve a gemstone certification process, like the Kimberley Process for diamonds. But critics argue that these plans are too late and too easy to bypass.
If Kenya is serious about ending gold smuggling, it needs to do more than form a task force. It must arrest smugglers, shut down illegal trading centers, and investigate possible links between public officials and smugglers.
The Real Cost of Gold Smuggling for Africa and Kenya
Gold smuggling doesn’t just hurt Kenya’s reputation. It costs lives. It finances war. And it robs countries of tax revenue that could fund schools, hospitals, and roads.
In places like South Sudan and the DRC, gold is mined under brutal conditions. Children work in unsafe mines. Warlords and militias take control of mining zones, taxing miners or forcing them to hand over the gold. That gold then flows into Kenya—often unchecked—before finding its way to luxury markets in the Middle East.
By letting gold pass through its borders without scrutiny, Kenya becomes part of the blood gold trade. It turns a blind eye to the suffering in neighboring countries. It helps the rich get richer while the poor remain trapped in cycles of violence and poverty.
The SwissAid report is a wake-up call. Kenya must take real action, or it will continue to be the weak link that enables war profiteers to operate with impunity.
