WATCH: Haki Africa asks William Ruto’s government to end Saudi Arabia ‘slave trade’
A human rights lobby group has called on President-elect William Ruto’s administration to stop the export of human labour to the Middle East.
Hussein Khalid, the Executive Director of Haki Africa, also asked the government to help bring back Kenyans he says are ‘trapped’ in the said countries.
Hussein spoke on Wednesday in reference to the return of Diana Chepkemoi, a Kenyan domestic worker who suffered ill health and was stranded in Saudi Arabia.
He stressed that it is time the government took action on agents who pose as middlemen between innocent Kenyans and potential employers in the gulf.
He specifically called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to join him in a campaign to bring back Kenyans in the Middle East.
“There is a need to put a stop to such practices. They are infringing the rights of our people. Kenyans are suffering, and some of them do not receive their wages. Enough is enough,” he claimed.
“We will be reaching out and if need be, we will go to Saudi Arabia to confirm the state of our girls. We need to be sure that they are all safe from this modern human slavery,” added Hussein.
Haki Africa has also called on the coming government to crack down Kenyan embassy in Saudi Arabia saying that they are not doing their work of protecting Kenyans as they should.
Hussein has also called on the government to cut its ties with the Saudi Arabia government in order to end the modern-day slavery.
“There are several girls subjected to sexual exploits. We want the Kenyan embassy in Saudi Arabia to be shut down. They are not doing their work,” said Hussein.
As of now, Haki Africa has received a total number of 51 cases of Kenyans locked up in ‘accommodation’ companies that need help.
“We know that there are very many Kenyans suffering in the name of ‘working upcountry’. This is the time to end such slavery,” said Hussein.
As of now, there are 200,000 Kenyans in Saudi Arabia who are working in different companies and homes and most of them are working under punitive conditions.
“We have heard cases that there are some who are working without getting paid, some are not being fed while others are being mistreated,” said Hussein.
On the day Diana came back to the country, she was accompanied by other 20 Kenyans who were also trapped in Saudi Arabia.
That very day, a Kenyan returned home lifeless in the ongoing modern human slavery.
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