The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association has called on the government to impose a total
ban on the travel of domestic workers to the Middle East. According to them, the level of
brutality against migrant domestic workers, not only Kenyans, in Middle East countries is getting
out of hand.
Led By KEWOPA Chairperson Muthoni Wamuchomba, women leaders said there should be an
immediate freeze on the exportation of Kenyan workers until better terms are negotiated by the
Government.
“I think to me, money is not important as human life, we cannot trade money with human life”
Muthoni.
“Am joining to condemn the act and also in saying that we have a total ban of our girls, because
normally they are girls, being deployed in Saudi Arabia.”
This lady is Faith from Gathunguri, Kiambu county. She left for Saudi while healthy but now she
is paralyzed and lives in a detention camp with no one to take care of her. She comes from the
area of the chairlady, Muthoni Wamuchomba.
“I have two serious cases that are pending in Saudi Arabia. I have a girl, her name is Faith, she is
hardly 25. She ran away from her ‘station of work’ in Saudi Arabia, she went into a dentention
camp. She got a stroke and she is almost 80% disabled and as we apeak it has been 5 months
down the line the girl is still stranded in Saudi Arabia, she cannot feed herself, she cannot take
care of herself” Muthoni.
The demand of the ban also follows the viral video of a lady breastfeeding puppies in Saudi
Arabia. The video elicited reactions online in social media platforms. Many people condemned
the act including Francis Atwoli.
Few weeks ago, photos of a lady, Diana Chepkemoi also went viral with the claims that she is
being molested and her health condition was worsening and so she needed help to come back to
Kenya. Luckily, she was rescued following intervention of the embassy.
Death mysteries and mistreatments in Saudi Arabia has been rampant as some Kenyan domestic
workers lose their lives. Some families have been crying following death of their loved ones.
Others have been begging the government to help them retrieve the bodies of their loved ones
who have died while abroad.
The demand of the women leaders will help reduce the cases of Kenyans suffering in the Middle
East with the notion of ‘looking for greener pastures’ which turns a mystery for some of them.
Despite many mysteries reported, some Kenyans still travel abroad ignoring the disadvantages.
By Calvin Angatia
