- Families that lost their loved ones in the region have jointly submitted a petition to parliament.
- They want the state to ensure Kenyans who leave the country to work in the Gulf are protected by labour laws.
The Ministries of Labour and Foreign Affairs are once again on the spot over the deaths of Kenyans working in the Gulf.
Families that lost their loved ones in the region have jointly submitted a petition to parliament.
The petition submitted by Fredrick Gaya seeks to reveal the true working conditions, records of deaths, and labor law provisions of domestic workers in the Gulf.
They want the state to ensure Kenyans who leave the country to work in the Gulf are protected by labour laws.
“To cause the Ministries of Labour and Foreign Affairs to provide records of Kenyans deaths including the causes of deaths,” the petition reads.
The families involved include that of the late Carolyne Aluoch, Lucy Wambui, and the unknown whereabouts of Beatrice Waruguru.
The petitioners want the government to implement policies that are deterrent to the inhumanity delving Kenyan domestic workers in the Gulf including the right to life, dignity among others.
The petitioner wants the Departmental Committee on Labour to investigate the Ministries of Labour and Foreign Affairs ’ action over the deaths of citizens in the Gulf.
Gaya also wants the Ministry of Labour to provide records of Kenyans who started working in the said countries from 2013 to 2021.
MISTREATMENT
Citing mistreatment and employees abuse, the petitioner calls for an audit of the working conditions of Kenyans in the Gulf States.
“The government to intervene and repatriate those who are involuntarily being held without the option of accessing their travel documents to return home or alternatively decent employment,” the petition reads.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui has been asked to submit a list of recruitment agencies that link the Gulf employers to Kenyan clients.
“To submit a list of recruitment agencies including the status of registration, the commitment of protection from potential abuse by employers,” the petition reads.
Carolyne Aluoch, Lucy Wambui, and at least 93 other Kenyans lost their lives in questionable circumstances.
Beatrice Waruguru has not been in communication with her parents since she left the country in February this year.
Lucy Wambui's family was asked to raise almost Sh400,000 to bring the body of their loved one.
The exact amount to transfer the body is is $7,000 (Sh757,374). The family has only been able to raise about $4,000.
Aluoch who worked in Saudi Arabia died of neck compression and trauma, not suicide by hanging, as the embassy said.
The autopsy conducted by chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor indicates Caroline Aluoch, 24, suffered neck constriction and other injuries.
The government recently considered suspending travel by Kenyans traveling to Saudi Arabia to be domestic workers.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau told the Labour and Social Welfare Committee at Parliament last month the move was informed by the increase in the number of deaths of Kenyans in Saudi and cases of mistreatment.
Macharia said since 2019 there had been an increase in cases of deaths and distress calls involving domestic workers, noting that the situation was getting out of control.
Edited by D Tarus