Diana Chepkemoi, a domestic worker who was stranded in Saudi Arabia, returned home on Tuesday, saying her friends are suffering in the Middle East.
“People are tortured psychologically, physically and it is not fair", Chepkemoi said on her arrival.
"It is a shame being told there is nothing you can do about it."
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's embassy in Nairobi denied the Uasin Gishu woman had been mistreated and said her health was normal.
Chepkemoi caught Kenyans' attention after photos of her looking emaciated surfaced on social media.
Her family had appealed for assistance from the government to bring her back home.n Kenyans over the weekend also took to social media to demand her return.
When she landed at JKIA on Tuesday afternoon, Diana said she left Kenya for Saudi Arabia in hopes of improving her life.
She was received with praise, hugs and thanksgiving songs. Welcomers shouted, "More power to Diana! Long live Diana! and "Welcome Home!"
“People are suffering in Saudi Arabia, my friends are suffering there. I'm glad I got support when I came out,” she said, while holding back her tears.
She pleaded with the government to help Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia.
Her mother, Clara Cherotich, said her daughter went to Saudi Arabia in May after failing to raise school fees.
"I am so grateful my daughter Diana is back in one piece, I can't explain my joy," said.
Chepkemoi was studying food science and management at Meru University before she deferred her studies.
In a statement on its Twitter handle, the Saudi Embassy in Nairobi said on Sunday that Chepkemoi suffers from "a normal health condition".
“In reference to what was circulated on social media regarding allegations of mistreatment of a Kenyan woman residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Embassy would like to clarify the woman was not subjected to any kind of ill-treatment,” it said.
Rift Valley leaders led by Konoin MP Brighton Yegon received her at JKIA.
"We have been following up on Diana. She went for a check-up three days ago and we had repeat check-up through Saudi Arabia's Ambassador. We thank the online community for coming out for Diana," Uasin Gishu official Esther Kagogo said.
Konoin MP said social media had played a key role in helping Diana get home. He also thanked Kalenjins who live abroad for being good whistle-blowers.
He also said when he National Assembly is convened, he will propose a ban on labour export. He said agents who recruit people to work abroad are not following required procedures.
"The agents, the cartels who have been exporting labour to Saudi Arabia, most of them don't follow the laid down procedures, and this is something we are going to follow up when we resume Bunge."
(Edited by V. Graham)
