Reports have emerged from several Kenyan women who endured abuse while working as maids in Saudi Arabia, asserting that embassy officials compounded their suffering by demanding sex or money in exchange for help. These accusations raise critical concerns about the treatment of vulnerable workers in foreign nations and the role of diplomats in the perpetuation of exploitation.
Disturbing Allegations Surface Against Kenyan Diplomats Exploiting Vulnerable Maids Abroad
Disturbing Allegations Surface Against Kenyan Diplomats Exploiting Vulnerable Maids Abroad
Women fleeing abuse in Saudi Arabia allege that Kenyan embassy officials demanded sexual favors or compensation for assistance, highlighting systemic exploitation within diplomatic aid.
The article text:
In recent revelations, a series of alarming allegations have emerged from Kenyan women who sought assistance from their embassy in Saudi Arabia after enduring severe abuse as domestic workers. These women, representing various backgrounds and regions of Kenya, claim that official support from the Kenyan embassy was marred by inappropriate demands from embassy personnel, specifically the labor attaché, Robinson Juma Twanga.
Selestine Kemoli, one such victim, fled to the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh back in 2020, escaping horrific treatment by her employer who had not only inflicted physical harm but had also subjected her to unimaginable abuses, including sexual violence. With her life at risk and her familial responsibilities weighing heavily on her, Kemoli turned to the embassy for refuge and repatriation. However, instead of receiving the help she desperately needed, Kemoli alleges that Twanga offered assistance on the condition of engaging in sexual relations with him.
Similar stories have been shared by multiple women, all of whom contend that Twanga and other embassy officials exploited their vulnerable circumstances. Reports indicate that requests for sexual favors were paired with demands for money, or alternatively, pressure to enter into sex work as a means of being able to afford their return home.
Human rights lawyers have corroborated these accounts, stating that the exploitation depicted in these allegations is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern observed across many Kenyan embassies in overseas regions. The revelations also illuminate the broader systemic issues regarding the treatment of labor migrants, particularly women, who are often left without protection as they navigate foreign legal systems and grapple with unregulated labor environments.
This uncomfortable narrative not only highlights individual cases of abuse but reflects the dire need for reforms in how diplomatic workers engage with and support Kenyan nationals abroad. Addressing these allegations is crucial for restoring faith in the institutions tasked with protecting the rights of citizens working in precarious situations overseas.
In recent revelations, a series of alarming allegations have emerged from Kenyan women who sought assistance from their embassy in Saudi Arabia after enduring severe abuse as domestic workers. These women, representing various backgrounds and regions of Kenya, claim that official support from the Kenyan embassy was marred by inappropriate demands from embassy personnel, specifically the labor attaché, Robinson Juma Twanga.
Selestine Kemoli, one such victim, fled to the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh back in 2020, escaping horrific treatment by her employer who had not only inflicted physical harm but had also subjected her to unimaginable abuses, including sexual violence. With her life at risk and her familial responsibilities weighing heavily on her, Kemoli turned to the embassy for refuge and repatriation. However, instead of receiving the help she desperately needed, Kemoli alleges that Twanga offered assistance on the condition of engaging in sexual relations with him.
Similar stories have been shared by multiple women, all of whom contend that Twanga and other embassy officials exploited their vulnerable circumstances. Reports indicate that requests for sexual favors were paired with demands for money, or alternatively, pressure to enter into sex work as a means of being able to afford their return home.
Human rights lawyers have corroborated these accounts, stating that the exploitation depicted in these allegations is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern observed across many Kenyan embassies in overseas regions. The revelations also illuminate the broader systemic issues regarding the treatment of labor migrants, particularly women, who are often left without protection as they navigate foreign legal systems and grapple with unregulated labor environments.
This uncomfortable narrative not only highlights individual cases of abuse but reflects the dire need for reforms in how diplomatic workers engage with and support Kenyan nationals abroad. Addressing these allegations is crucial for restoring faith in the institutions tasked with protecting the rights of citizens working in precarious situations overseas.
