Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria has issued a warning to Kenyans operating short-term rental spaces outside the Airbnb platform and other platforms authorised in the country.
The warning from the CS comes even as the country records increased cases of femicide cases in the country, with some happening in short-stay spaces.
Kuria warned that not every short-stay space is operated under the Airbnb platform, which makes the know your customer (KYC) policy hard to implement.
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He said that the government would crack down on Kenyans operating such spaces outside the official Airbnb platform and other booking platforms in the country.
"The government is very concerned about growing cases of crime and murders, mostly targeted at women in short-term rental spaces. Whereas most of these spaces are termed as Airbnb, they are not transacted through the Airbnb platform and thus there is no Know Your Customer (KYC) data collected, obviously a major security exposure. The government will crack down on people offering such services outside the Airbnb or other authorised and licensed platforms," Kuria stated.
Airbnb is an American company operating an online marketplace for short- and long-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking.
The warning from Kuria comes amid increased cases of women being killed inside short-stay spaces, the most prominent being of Pastor Kanyari's sister Starlet Wahu and Rita Waeni. Others who have been killed in the recent past include Harriet Moraa (19) and Stella Adongo (21).
On Saturday, January 27, 2024, a section of women groups and men across the country held peaceful protests against the prevalence of femicide in the country.
In January alone, there have been reports of over 16 cases of femicide, with most of the killings yet to be resolved.
