A report released by the United States Department of State has revealed that at least 274 Kenyan workers have died in Saudi Arabia in the last five years.
The report revealed that more than 500,000 Kenyans are currently working in the Middle East, where the majority are domestic workers.
Notably, most of them get jobs on a visa sponsorship system, which is common in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. This system binds domestic workers to one employer and prevents their freedom of movement.
The findings further established that returning Kenyan migrant workers, people experiencing homelessness, and people with mental health conditions are vulnerable to trafficking due to a lack of available assistance.
They also face limited economic opportunities because returning migrants, including trafficking victims, often face rejection from their communities because of unmet remittance expectations or debt incurred to send them abroad.
According to the report, corruption and complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns inhibiting law enforcement action. For instance, the government has investigated three Ministry of Labour officials for allegedly accepting bribes to facilitate potential trafficking crimes involving migrant workers travelling to the Middle East.
The report added that some government officials in the Kenyan embassy in Saudi Arabia have frustrated efforts of Kenyan workers trying to flee from their rogue employers.
“Media also reported some Kenyan embassy officials in Saudi Arabia reportedly demanded sex or cash payments from women seeking government assistance to escape abusive employers and return to Kenya,” the findings read.
The government is accused of not taking action against recruitment agencies reportedly owned by government employees that were allegedly complicit in facilitating trafficking crimes.
Instead, lesser charges, such as failing to register a recruitment company, were frequently levied.
As a preventative measure, the government, in partnership with civil society organisations, held awareness campaigns targeting vulnerable populations, particularly Kenyans seeking to work abroad, and launched a campaign focused on the growing threat of forced labour in online scams.
It also regulated labour recruiters and held them liable for fraudulent recruitment.