In brief
A troubling investigation reveals that Kenyan women fleeing abuse in Saudi Arabia found further indignity at the hands of embassy officials, who demanded sexual favors or money for assistance, highlighting systemic exploitation in the support system for overseas workers.
In a shocking revelation, a significant number of Kenyan women working as maids abroad have reported facing dual layers of abuse—first from their employers and second from embassy officials meant to protect them. Selestine Kemoli, who fled to the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh in 2020, described a horrendous experience where she was subjected to extreme violence and sexual assault by her employer. Seeking refuge, she turned to the embassy for help, only to be met with further indignity.Kemoli remembered the words of Robinson Juma Twanga, the labor attaché at the embassy, who, instead of providing assistance, offered his help with a horrifying proposition. “You are beautiful,” he allegedly said. When she expressed her desperate need for help, he proposed a deal: “I will sleep with you, just the same way your boss has slept with you.” This grotesque exchange highlights the immense vulnerability of women in dire situations, compounded by exploitation from those in positions of authority.Multiple accounts from different women across various counties corroborate Kemoli's experience, revealing a pattern of behavior among embassy officials pressuring vulnerable women into sexual acts or compelling them to find alternative means, such as sex work, to pay for their return home. Lawyers representing these women have reported an alarming number of similar incidents involving other embassy officials, suggesting a systemic issue within the channels meant to protect African workers abroad.This disturbing trend illuminates the urgent need for reform and accountability within the Kenyan diplomatic establishment. As these women navigate their traumatic experiences, they are confronted not only by the trauma of their past but also by the profound betrayal from those tasked with their welfare.
