The Kenyan government has intensified its crackdown on human rights violations against citizens working overseas, rescuing and repatriating more than 500 Kenyans who had been subjected to mistreatment in foreign countries since 2022.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, said on Wednesday that the government’s priority is to ensure that every Kenyan working abroad is protected from exploitation and accorded dignity.
Speaking during the third quarterly media briefing, Dr. Mudavadi said the rescue missions are part of a broader government effort to regulate the labour migration sector and rein in unscrupulous recruitment agencies.
“Since 2022, over 500 Kenyans have been rescued and repatriated,” Mudavadi disclosed. “We have also investigated and deregistered nearly 600 rogue job agencies. Our next step is to make public the names of those preying on desperate job seekers.”
The Prime CS, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing’Oei and Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu, said Kenya is working closely with host governments to resolve welfare cases affecting migrant workers.
He pointed to several recent rescue cases, including the safe return of a Kenyan woman and her child from Qatar, and a toddler flown back from Jakarta, Indonesia, after his mother’s incarceration. The child was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and reunited with relatives.
Mudavadi acknowledged that one of the most complex challenges involves undocumented children born to Kenyan mothers in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
“Through our Mobile Consular Services, we’ve collected 707 DNA samples to confirm parentage,” he explained. “Once a positive match is established, we issue birth certificates and facilitate the repatriation of both mother and child.”
He credited the Joint Interdepartmental Working Group (JIWG) a taskforce formed in January 2025 comprising Kenyan and Saudi officials—for strengthening cooperation between Nairobi and Riyadh.
“So far, 59 mothers and 73 children have safely returned home through this partnership,” Mudavadi said.
The ministry’s heightened interventions come amid persistent reports of Kenyans facing abuse, exploitation, or harsh working conditions abroad especially in Gulf nations.
While the government has termed such incidents “isolated,” Mudavadi said Kenya will continue promoting safe labour migration through its Kazi Majuu programme, which links workers to verified employers and agencies.
“We will not rest until every Kenyan abroad is treated with respect,” he emphasised. “Our appeal is for citizens seeking employment overseas to use legal channels and immediately report any cases of mistreatment to our embassies.”
