Migrant workers' crisis: Kenya, Saudi Arabia announce measures to protect migrant workers

In a statement by Kenya’s Ministry of Labour, some of the new initiatives include the introduction of a wage protection program and a distress alert line for security agencies.

This comes in the wake of perpetual allegations of mistreatment of migrant workers in the gulf country.

Incidents of death and torture of Kenyan migrant workers in the Middle East, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have become worryingly common. A day never passes without a case of mistreatment or the death of a Kenyan migrant worker being reported.

This has forced the ministry of labour to respond, assuring Kenyans working or those willing to travel to the gulf country of safety.

Further in the letter dated September 16th 2022, the Ministry states that the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has formed a protection and support department under the Ministry of Human Resources and social development to handle all complaints from migrant workers, recruitment agencies, and embassies.

To supplement the initiative, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has added some measures to ensure the safety of workers including the introduction of a labour reform initiative that allowed employees to change employers, an initiative that was implemented in the year 2021. These labour reforms also define exit, return and final exit procedures

Other measures include activating the alternative dispute resolution mechanism, which includes ensuring cases referred to court are resolved within 21 days.

Locally, the government of Kenya has established an Oversight and Community Feedback Mechanism to facilitate continuous monitoring of private employment agencies and to ensure ethical recruitment.

A toll-free line 0800222223  to report Migrant workers' distress cases has also been set up as well as a web portal.

The Government of Kenya now appealing to Kenya Kenyans wishing to travel abroad to seek employment to only use accredited recruitment agencies.

It has also urged the employment agencies to acquaint all Kenyans migrating to the gulf country with the requisite measures put in place before signing any contract.