A new report by Amnesty International has uncovered disturbing accounts from over 70 Kenyan women who faced exploitation, deception, and abuse while working as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. The report, launched on Tuesday in Mombasa, Kenya, sheds light on the systematic mistreatment of migrant workers and calls for urgent reforms from both the Kenyan and Saudi governments.
According to Amnesty International, the majority of the women were lured abroad with false promises by unscrupulous recruitment agencies, only to be subjected to grueling labor conditions, denial of wages, and violations of their fundamental rights.
From Hope to Horror: The Story of Bigeni Maina Mwangi
One of the women featured in the report, Bigeni Maina Mwangi, shared her devastating journey with The Associated Press. Mwangi recalled how she was promised a job as a beautician in Saudi Arabia, only to be forced into domestic servitude upon arrival.
“The contract I signed in Nairobi was changed the moment I landed,” she recounted. “The agent said I had no choice but to work.”
For 17 months, Mwangi toiled without receiving any salary. When she was finally sent back to Kenya, the wages she had been promised never materialized. Desperate to support herself, she later secured a job in Dubai. However, a subsequent position in Oman in 2020 proved even worse.
“I worked in three houses non-stop, often without food,” she said, describing her experience as one of utter exhaustion and neglect.
Recruitment Deception and Abuse
Amnesty International’s report exposes the deceptive practices used by many recruitment agencies operating in Kenya. Women reported being forced to sign contracts at the airport or being misled about the nature of the jobs awaiting them abroad.
Mejuma Shaban Ali, another victim, signed her contract at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in 2014. She thought she was heading toward a better life, but instead ended up in what she described as a “prison.”
“I was forced to escape the house disguised as taking out trash,” Ali said. “I got to the Embassy hoping for help. Instead, I was told to find another employer because I had made no money to pay off my employer.”
Ali’s ordeal worsened when her passport was withheld by her employer. She was forced to work illegally after being connected to another broker. “There are people suffering in Oman with no way out,” she added, calling for immediate government action to dismantle rogue networks exploiting Kenyan workers.
Amnesty’s Call to Action
Amnesty International is demanding a total overhaul of the labor migration system. The organization called on the Kenyan and Saudi governments to introduce meaningful labor protections for domestic workers, enforce prosecution of abusive employers, and ban recruitment agencies involved in exploitation.
“This system amounts to modern slavery,” said Amnesty Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton. “Kenyan workers are being trafficked, abused, and denied justice while rogue agencies continue to profit from their suffering.”
Houghton emphasized that the rights of migrant domestic workers must be treated as a priority in bilateral relations and labor agreements.
Government Response and Recent Reforms
Facing increasing scrutiny over labor migration scandals, the Kenyan government has recently begun cracking down on exploitative recruitment firms. In April 2025, Kenya’s Ministry of Labor facilitated the return of more than 100 citizens who had been stranded in Myanmar and Thailand after being deceived by illegal agencies.
Officials have also pledged to tighten oversight of overseas job contracts and improve embassy support for distressed workers.
“Protecting Kenyans abroad is a national duty,” said Labor Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore in a recent statement. “We are reviewing all recruitment processes and ensuring that all workers have access to legal support and emergency repatriation.”
However, activists argue that much more needs to be done.
“The reforms are long overdue, but enforcement remains a challenge,” said Wanjiku Kariuki, a Nairobi-based migration policy expert. “The problem is systemic. Unless we address the corruption and impunity within the recruitment system, nothing will change for these women.”
A Widespread Crisis
Amnesty’s report estimates that over 150,000 Kenyans are currently employed as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, with many more in other Gulf nations. Despite the high remittance potential, thousands of workers remain vulnerable to abuse due to poor legal protections and diplomatic bottlenecks.
Kenya is not alone in grappling with this crisis. Other East African nations like Uganda and Ethiopia have reported similar cases of abuse among their nationals working in the Middle East.
“There is an urgent need for African countries to come together and develop a joint framework for protecting migrant workers,” said Kariuki. “This cannot be left to individual governments or recruitment agencies.”
Voices of the Survivors
For women like Mwangi and Ali, speaking out is not just about personal healing — it’s about justice and preventing others from falling into the same trap.
“Too many of us return with nothing — broken in spirit and robbed of our dignity,” said Mwangi. “We need real change. We need justice.”
Ali echoed her call. “No one deserves to go through what I went through. The government must act now, before more lives are destroyed.”
Conclusion
As Kenya seeks to expand its labor export market, the Amnesty International report is a stark reminder of the human cost behind unregulated migration. With rising unemployment at home and the promise of better opportunities abroad, many Kenyans remain easy prey for traffickers and exploitative agents. The time for protective reforms — and genuine accountability — is now.
