As the sun dipped below the horizon over Lake Turkana, grief engulfed Senait Mebrehtu as she scattered flowers into the water in memory of her 14-year-old daughter, Hiyab, who tragically drowned while attempting to enter Kenya via a treacherous smuggling route. Senait, an Eritrean Pentecostal Christian who sought asylum in Kenya three years ago, made the pilgrimage to northwest Kenya, desperate to physically connect with the spot where Hiyab lost her life during a perilous crossing.
The fateful journey had begun with both Hiyab and her sister, who survived the ordeal, as they sought freedom from a militarized regime in Eritrea. Senait had fled with her younger children on a tourist visa but couldn't bring her older daughters due to conscription fears. Pressured to escape, the sisters were guided by smugglers, and what ensued was a horrific journey lasting weeks through hostile terrain.
A female smuggler confirmed to the BBC that this new route across Lake Turkana is increasingly utilized by traffickers, who apprehensively referred to it as the "digital route" due to its rising popularity. The smuggler, who profits substantially from the trade, emphasized the dangers of the lake and cautioned parents against allowing their children to embark on such risky undertakings alone.
Osman, a fellow migrant who witnessed Hiyab’s boat capsize, recounted the moment they all realized the motor had failed and the boat was out of control. Tragically, their vessel overturned shortly after departing from Ileret, leading to a harrowing loss of lives, including Hiyab's. "They were overloaded with more than 20 people,” Ms. Senait lamented, blaming the smugglers' negligence for her daughter's drowning.
Local fishermen reported seeing bodies of presumed migrants washing ashore, reflecting the grave risks involved in these crossings. Increasingly, Eritreans are fleeing dire conditions, including forced military service and famine, with many seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Uganda and Rwanda.
The smuggling network is robust, with agents coordinating the dangerous transit of migrants, who often invest thousands of dollars seeking a safer existence. Tragically, many find themselves locked in substandard living conditions while waiting for arrangements to continue their journey, where exploitation and abuse are prevalent.
Senait struggles to cope with her profound loss while expressing relief that her other daughter survived. "We have gone through what every Eritrean family is going through,” she said poignantly, embodying the pain experienced by countless others trapped in this cycle of desperation. “May God heal our land and deliver us from all this.”
