Reveals Severe Challenges Endured by Kenyan Housemaids in Saudi Arabia

In an exposé published by the New York Times on April 4, 2025, a hidden world of abuse and exploitation has been revealed, with many African governments, including Kenya, accused of turning a blind eye in favor of remittance-driven economic strategies.

The distressing narrative unfolds with the story of Selestine Kemoli, a Kenyan woman who fled an abusive employer only to be propositioned for sexual favors by a diplomat from her own embassy in Riyadh. The accused diplomat, Robinson Juma Twanga, was reportedly a labor attaché.

The scandal has ignited outrage across Kenya, illustrating the dire plight of domestic workers in the Gulf, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The New York Times investigation further unveiled the grim reality faced by many Kenyan domestic workers - beatings, starvation, sleep deprivation, sexual abuse, and imprisonment.

Many of these women work 18-hour days for meager wages, with their passports confiscated, rendering them helpless in a foreign land. This chilling underbelly has emerged as a dark counterpart to Kenya's labor export model, with over 100,000 Kenyans working in Gulf nations, a majority of them women employed in private homes.

At the heart of this crisis lies the Kafala system, a controversial rule that binds workers' legal status to their employers. This system allows employers to wield absolute control over workers, who cannot leave their jobs or the country without permission. The power imbalance it fosters has been identified as the catalyst for rampant abuse.

Once inside Saudi Arabia, many Kenyan workers are isolated, cut off from the outside world, and too fearful to report mistreatment. Even those reaching out to Kenyan embassies often face bureaucracy, neglect, or as the exposé suggests, exploitation by those meant to protect them.

The exposé also serves as a scathing critique of diplomatic failure. Rather than shielding their citizens from such abuses, some Kenyan embassy staff appear either powerless or complicit. In some cases, workers seeking shelter or legal assistance have been turned away.

The fact that a diplomat - a figure traditionally entrusted to uphold international standards - allegedly engaged in such behavior raises serious questions about diplomatic immunity, ethical conduct, and oversight. The exposé leaves one questioning: Who will protect the vulnerable when those in power exploit them?

Following the revelations, Mr. Twanga is no longer employed by the government of Kenya. the Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, has confirmed this. However, his current position remains unclear.

Ms. Njogu, in a recent interview, expressed regret that the victim had not reported the issue earlier. She assured that the perpetrator would be held accountable and punished according to the law.

Kenya is not alone in facing this crisis. Domestic workers from other African nations have also reported similar abuses in Gulf countries. Amnesty International has highlighted these plights in a report titled "Locked in, left out: the hidden lives of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia." The report underscores the need for Saudi Arabia to grant domestic workers equal protection under labor law and dismantle the Kafala system to prevent further exploitation.

A critical examination of this systemic crisis reveals the complex interplay of exploitation, racism, and a lack of legal protections. It calls for comprehensive reforms to ensure fair treatment and dignity for these workers.

Despite the ongoing crisis involving Kenyan domestic workers in Gulf nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, the government of Kenya has failed to address the issue effectively, as evidenced by the alleged complicity of its embassy staff and the persistence of the Kafala system, a controversial rule that binds workers' legal status to their employers.
The general news surrounding the exploitation of African workers, such as the recent investigation by Amnesty International on Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, exposes the urgent need for policy changes aimed at granting these workers equal protection under labor law and dismantling the Kafala system.
Amidst rising concerns over labor export strategies, African governments, like Kenya, must prioritize the protection of their citizens working abroad, focusing on improving logistics and port infrastructure to ensure safe and fair transportation for export and import workers, while also addressing political and diplomatic shortcomings in preventing and responding to abuses against their citizens.