At least 151,000 of Kenya’s 200,000 documented migrant workers in Saudi Arabia are domestic workers, according to the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, who spoke before the National Assembly.
“ Hon. Speaker, Kenya has approximately 200,000 documented migrant workers based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with 151,687 among them, engaged in the domestic work section” Hon. Bore noted.
The status, circumstances, and well-being of Kenyan migrant workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been the subject of significant inquiries from MPs to the Minister.
Brighton Yegon, Konoin MP, had asked for information on how many Kenyans had legal authorization to work in Saudi Arabia over the previous three years.
Over the past three years, 283 documented deaths among Kenyan migrant workers in the Gulf States, notably in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, have been reported, according to responses laid out by CS Bore.
In Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, 185 Kenyan migrant labourers perished; their causes of death ranged from homicide to disease. She assured the MPs that the victims’ relatives had, nevertheless, received sufficient notification of the incidents.
The Labour CS informed the Members that the Kenyan government has worked closely with Saudi Arabia to safeguard the wellbeing of Kenyan migrant workers.
The CS mentioned the creation of a bilateral labour agreement in 2017, which aims to safeguard the terms and conditions of employees and improve their general well-being.
She also informed the House that a special Riyadh Labour Attaché office had been established, in addition to ones in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with the goal of locating employment opportunities and resolving worker issues.
She also assured the house that the government is actively taking a number of measures to protect its migrant employees.
“A National Policy on Labor Migration has been developed, emphasizing safe and productive migration. Additionally, a Labor Migration Management Bill is in the works to hold recruitment agencies accountable. We are also in the process of developing a comprehensive curriculum to prepare migrants with essential skills and knowledge before they embark on their journeys,” Bore said.
