- PS said the situation of Kenya domestic workers in Saudi is dire.
- Most of the affected, he said, are young unemployed and desperate women who are looking for greener pastures in the Gulf countries.
Image: /EZEKIEL AMINGA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is recommending a temporary ban on the recruitment and export of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia as it emerges that 92 Kenyans have lost their lives in the Gulf country.
The ministry wants the government to move with speed and take drastic measures until adequate measures are put in place to guarantee the safety of Kenyans.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Ambassador Kamau Macharia on Thursday told a House Committee to push for the implementation of the recommendation to end what he termed dire situation for Kenya domestic workers in Saudi.
The PS told MPs that the situation in Saudi requires immediate action disclosing that embassy officials have abandoned their consular services and have turned into undertakers helping families of Kenyans who have lost their loved ones.
Kamau said at least 20 Kenyans are repatriated back to the country daily because of unfavourable working conditions.
Most of the affected, he said, are young unemployed and desperate women who are looking for greener pastures in the Gulf countries.
The PS was appearing before members of the National Assembly Labour and Social Welfare Committee chaired by Mwea MP Wachira Kabinga to update the committee on the causes of fatalities involving Kenyan migrant workers and the circumstances that led to the deaths.
He was responding to a question by nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi on the number of Kenyans who have lost their lives in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
“The ministry communicated to the Ministry of Labour in July 2021 raising concerns on the situation of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia and recommended for a temporary ban of recruitment and export of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia until adequate protection measures are put in place,” Kamau said.
“Since the Parliamentary Committee’s last visit to Saudi Arabia in 2019, the situation has drastically worsened with increased death and distress cases.”
The PS said, 48 Kenyans died in Saudi last year which was a record 45 increase from the three deaths reported in 2019.
This year, the ministry’s records indicate that some 41 Kenyans have died so far.
“These statistics indicate the dire reality that we face. It warrants bold and decisive action to curb further suffering of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia,” the PS said.
“We should not be seen to be condoning such high numbers of deaths and distress of our citizens' majority of whom are young and vulnerable women.”
The PS further said the embassy in Saudi received 883 distress cases between 2019/21 from Kenyan domestic workers who were facing various sorts of mistreatments.
In 2020/21, cases of distress calls rose to 1,025.
The Labour ministry has facilitated 87,784 employments in the Gulf region since 2019.
The majority of the Kenyan migrant workers are in Saudi Arabia.
The PS further said the ministry together with Labour and Interior and Coordination of National government ministries have so far formed an inter-agency task force in July to address the challenges facing domestic workers.
The multi-agency team is expected to recommend appropriate actions to remedy the situation.
In July, Labour PS Peter Tum told the Kabinga led Committee that most of the reported deaths are attributed to cardiac arrest, Covid-19, cancer, childbirth, respiratory complications, tuberculosis and meningitis.
The PS also explained that some of the deaths were a result of accidents and suicide.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris