- Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi was put on the spot over the government’s plans to curb abuse of citizens working in the Gulf States
- Senators were riled after Mudavadi said the government was unable to provide identities of the over 400,000 Kenyans working in the Gulf countries
Image: PCS
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi was on Wednesday put on the spot over the government’s plans to curb abuse of Kenyans working in the Gulf States.
The move comes as Mudavadi divulged that some 316 Kenyans have died in the Gulf in the last two years, amid reports of torture and other abuses.
This as the government said 700 rogue recruitment agencies, whose actions attributed to abuse, have been deregistered by the National Employment Authority.
Mudavadi, who doubles up as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS, told the Senate plenary that most of the deaths, about 166, were recorded in Saudi Arabia.
He added that the data, from 2022 to date, also shows that 58 Kenyans have died in Qatar, 51 in the United Arab Emirates, 25 in Iraq, another 10 in Bahrain and six in Kuwait.
Only Oman and Iran have not recorded any deaths by a Kenyan during the period.
Senators were riled after Mudavadi said the government was unable to provide identities of the over 400,000 Kenyans working in the Gulf countries.
The CS said there are 416,548 Kenyans there, but added that the number may be higher as some citizens do not register with their missions abroad.
According to the data, there are 310,266 Kenyans in Saudi Arabia; 66,025 in Qatar; 23,000 in UAE; 8,000 in Bahrain; 5,392 in Oman; 3,515 in Kuwait; 200 in Iran; and 150 in Iraq.
Kenyans are attracted to work in the Gulf States because they provide high economic prospects compared to other countries, he said.
Mudavadi was responding to questions from Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale who wanted to know the number and identities of all Kenyans currently working in the Gulf States and how many have lost their lives while there, from 2022 to date.
The Senate Majority Whip also asked the CS to state what support the government provides to families of Kenyans who die while overseas.
Khalwale sought to know why the government cannot identify Kenyans working abroad yet it has a policy to assist youth get employment opportunities outside the country.
“Is it not shocking that despite that policy, the CS is not able to tell the country the identities of Kenyans working outside the country? he posed.
He called for the minister to be compelled to table a list of identities of all Kenyans working in the Gulf States so that parents are assured of the safety of their children.
In his response, Mudavadi admitted to challenges in the past, but said the government is working on getting accurate data of citizens traveling to various countries, including the Gulf States.
He said the government can work on providing the identities but appealed for guidance on whether this would be a breach of data privacy laws.
Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu pressed Mudavadi to explain the steps the government is taking to address the abuse and mistreatment of Kenyans working abroad.
“Some of them say they work in multiple homes contrary to the agreement, some work in six homes, mistreatment of food, cannot be allowed to travel back home as documents are confiscated by the bosses.”
“What is the government doing to ensure our people are safe? Why can’t the unscrupulous agents be arrested yet they are well-known?” Kavindu asked.
Vihiga's Godfrey Osotsi asked what the government is doing with unregistered and unscrupulous recruitment agencies.
The agencies, he said, take advantage of innocent Kenyans to recruit them through illegal means. People end up dying in the foreign countries.
Mudavadi responded that the recruitment is largely private sector-driven, but said the state will not entertain unethical enlisting of citizens.
“We are trying to weed out all agencies not fit for purpose. It is an ongoing process. We have provided the names of licensed recruitment agencies as a means of streamlining the process” the CS said.
He added that Kenya is negotiating 19 memoranda of understanding with those involving Qatar, UAE and Saudi at an advanced stage.
“The negotiations are not just about labourers. We have a skills policy being worked on to include even highly skilled individuals like doctors.”