Diana Chepkemoi’s plight in the hands of her employer in Saudi Arabia isn’t the first time – far from it – that Kenyans are suffering like this as most continue to be subjected to inhumane treatment and even die in these gulf countries.
What might have felt like an inconvenience is now a crisis.
However, in Diana’s case, social media noise and a trending hashtag worked in her favour and she was rescued and is reportedly on medication ahead of her travel back.
This case continues to beg the question of how long will these young women continue to suffer in Saudi Arabia and what’s the end game of this crisis.
Own will…
One could understandably ask why could a state ignore the welfare of its people and allow things to deteriorate to this point.
With the Ministry of foreign affairs on the spot, Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau now says Kenyans are suffering in Saudi Arabia out of their own free will.
He says the ministry has cautioned against shipping domestic workers to Saudi but Kenyans ‘have chosen not to listen’.
His statement was in response to a Twitter user Lizzi Ntonjira who questioned why there are agencies still facilitating their travel regardless of the many tragedies in the past.
“For how long will our sisters continue being enslaved in the middle east? Does it have to always get here for Govt to intervene? How many lives have been lost in the past?
“Still, do these rogue agencies that send these young girls out there exist? What is being done?” Lizzie questioned.
Macharia responded by putting the blame on the victims saying;
“We have told Kenyans repeatedly to stop sending this category of workers to Saudi. You’ve chosen not to listen.”
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