Following recent media reports on severe exploitation, human-rights violations, and preventable deaths of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. The accounts of deception by recruitment agencies, confiscation of passports, unpaid wages, violent abuse, and a pattern of uninvestigated deaths constitute nothing less than a humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of Kenyan women.

For years, our union has cautioned the Government of Kenya that the current Labour-migration framework—dominated by unregulated private recruitment agencies and weak bilateral protections—places Kenyan workers at unacceptable risk. These new revelations confirm what many survivors, families, and advocates have been saying: the system is broken, and Kenyan domestic workers are paying for it with their lives.

Our Position
The reliance on domestic-worker remittances cannot justify exposing young Kenyan women to abuse, forced Labour, or unsafe conditions abroad.
Many agencies are operating with impunity—engaging in deception, charging illegal fees, and facilitating trafficking-like conditions. We demand immediate suspension and investigation of all implicated agencies.

The Government of Kenya must provide stronger protection now—not later. Issues like reducing training days, expanding Labour export quotas, and failing to enforce existing laws has created fertile ground for abuse. We call for a complete review of the Labour-migration regime, including the agreements with destination countries.

Consular and diplomatic services must be strengthened without delay. Distressed workers often face indifference, delays, or bureaucratic hostility when seeking help. The establishment of a new consulate is welcome, but it must be properly staffed, resourced, and held accountable.

The Government of Kenya has mandated by the constitution 2010, should Impose an immediate moratorium on the deployment of domestic workers to Gulf states until minimum safety conditions, monitoring mechanisms and oversight provisions are met.

The Government of Kenya should undertake and establish a transparent, independent inquiry into the deaths and disappearances of Kenyan domestic workers in the Gulf countries.

The Government of Kenya is under an obligation to guarantee domestic workers full access to justice and protecting household Labour.

Our daughters, sisters, and mothers deserve dignity—not silence. We urge families, communities, and lawmakers to support affected households and push for a migration system that protects, rather than endangers, those seeking work abroad.
KUDHEIHA will continue to fight for the rights, safety, and dignity of all Kenyan migrant domestic workers. We will pursue legal action, engage international Labour bodies, and mobilize public pressure until meaningful reforms are achieved.