Foreign Affairs PS Macharia Kamau has come under sharp criticism following his remarks that seemed to blame Kenyan domestic workers for their ordeal in Saudi Arabia.

In a tweet response to Lizzy Ntonjira, Macharia said Kenyans in Saudi Arabia who have reported bizarre treatment by their employers are in that country out of their own free will.

Ntonjira, a top communications professional, had questioned Kamau on why there were job agencies which still facilitated girls to travel to Saudia despite the many tragedies reported.

Macharia Kamau. PHOTO/COURTESY 

Read More

  1. Kenyan nurses to receive Sh150,000 minimum salary to work in Saudi Arabia
  2. Why Kenya plans to exit Ruto's infamous G-to-G fuel importation deal with Gulf
  3. Kenya Ports Authority invites bids for key port assets in an ambitious PPP initiative

"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?" she posed.

In his response, Macharia blamed the victims saying:

"We have told Kenyans repeatedly to stop sending this category of workers to Saudi. You’ve chosen not to listen."

This remark angered many Kenyans on social who blasted the ambassador for paying a deaf ear to the plight of the many workers suffering under heartless employers in Saudi Arabia.

This comes as the Kenyan embassy in Riyadh confirmed that Diana Chepkemoi, the emaciated girl captured on video being forced by her employer to drink water soaked in sanitary pads.

“The Mission wishes to inform that Diana Chepkemoi flies back to Kenya today, 5/9/2022, to join her family. Diana was picked from her employer's house by an Ambulance, rushed to a top level hospital (Shamesi) in Riyadh for checkup, discharged and referred to a specialized hospital for further diagnosis and given a clean bill of health, the mission posted on Twitter.

It went on, “The Embassy is grateful to the Ministry of Labour and the Consular Departments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their quick response and intervention in this case.The Embassy further thanks the Saudi Government for giving employment opportunity to hundreds of thousands Kenyans who work and reside in the Kingdom.”

Chepkemoi’s inhumane treatment by her Saudi employer went viral on social media forcing the authorities in Kenya and Riyadh to rush to her rescue and organize her return home, even as the Saudi government denounced the mistreatment claims.