283 Kenyans died in Gulf countries within the last three years - CS Bore

A total of 283 Kenyan migrant workers have lost their lives within the last three years in the Middle East, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore has revealed.

Appearing before Parliament on Wednesday during the weekly Question Time sessions, CS Bore said that 283 Kenyans died during their stay in the Gulf States, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The CS said, out of these, 185 died in Saudi Arabia, 45 in the UAE, while another 53 lost their lives in Qatar during the aforementioned period.

Despite noting that families of the victims had been informed of the incidents through proper channels, CS Bore informed MPs that out of the deceased Kenyan citizens, the causes of death were mainly from illness and homicides.

The revelation by the CS came after Konoin MP Brighton Yegon sought to find out the number of documented Kenyans working in Saudia for the last three years, the status of residency, the type of employment, working stations, as well as the number of reported cases of deaths, torture and inhuman treatment.

In her response, Bore said there were approximately 200,000 documented migrant workers in Saudi Arabia with at least 151,000 of them working as domestic workers. 

The remarks by the CS come amidst allegations of torture and mistreatment of Kenyans and other Africans in the Gulf nations.

To curb the incidents, she however told the lawmakers that the government, in partnership with Saudi Arabia, had taken measures such as establishment of a Bilateral Labor Agreement in 2017 to protect workers' overall well-being, besides setting up a dedicated Labor Attaché office in Riyadh alongside offices in Qatar and the UAE.

“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,” she said.

“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.”