Chelugui discloses 93 deaths of Kenyan workers in Middle East
Summary
Date Reported: 14 Jul 2021
Location: Saudi Arabia
Companies
United Manpower Services - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: 1
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( 1 - Kenya , Domestic worker agencies , Gender not reported )Issues
Deaths , Violence , Right to Food , Restricted mobility , Freedom of Movement , ImprisonmentResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: United Manpower Services told BHRRC that the incident is being investigated by the National Employment Authority in Kenya.
Source type: News outlet
[Kenya] recorded 93 deaths in the past three years from Kenyans working in the Middle East.
Labour Cabinet secretary Simon Chelugui...
... told MPs that the Ministry is unable to provide a detailed breakdown on the deaths of Kenyans which occurred mostly in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arabs Emirates (UAE)...
Mr Chelugui appeared before the Labour Committee alongside PS Peter Tum to explain the circumstances that led to the death of Melvin Kang’ereha in Saudi Arabia in 2020...
[Nominated MP Godfrey Otsotsi] promised to table video and audio recordings of the woman pleading with her employer and United Manpower Services Limited to return her to Kenya...
“I have video and audio recordings that would proof that this woman did not die of natural causes. There is a Philippine witness and the case is being pursed in Saudi Arabia by human rights groups. I find the answers unsatisfactory,” Mr Otsotsi said.
He said the recruiting agent refused to hear the pleas of the Kenyan worker after the Saudi employer mistreated and tortured her including denying her meals.
“United Manpower Services instead transferred the young woman to another employer who mistreated and tortured her leading to her imprisonment. Apart from relying on third party information from Saudi authorities, what have you done to do proper investigations?” Mr Otsotsi said.