Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr. Alfred Mutua has blamed the mistreatment of Kenyan migrant workers in Saudi Arabia and different Gulf States to unstreamlined recruitment companies in Kenya.
Mutua’s sentiments come after he held talks with senior Saudi government officers along with his Ministry of Foreign Affairs counterpart Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud in Riyadh on Wednesday and Thursday.
The CS flew to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on November two in a bid to address the plight of abused people in the Gulf State.”Listening to the victims, agents, Kenya Government officers and Saudi Government officials, it is clear that the problems facing some our humans begin back domestic in Kenya. The device is unsuitable and corrupt and until it’s fixed, nothing will change,” said Mutua in a assertion after concluding the talks.
“There is massive corruption in the way Kenyans are organized before they leave to be home employees in Saudi Arabia and follow up of Kenyans when they arrive. This is a important situation to all of us, such as the Government of Saudi Arabia. We have to smash the cartels and streamline the agencies, some of which are owned with the aid of distinguished Kenyans.”
According to Mutua , the talks culminated in the formation of proposals that will make it easier and higher for Kenyans to relate and work in Saudi Arabia the place he says they are in high demand.
“We have agreed to work on a modality to get Kenyan labour businesses to have workplaces in Saudi Arabia to deal with troubles concerning their clients. We will, in collaboration with the Saudi Government, flush out illegal companies and also blacklist companies that do not perform as per the law,” he said.
“We have also agreed to ensure compliance with the aid of sellers and others when it comes to provision of healthcare to Kenyans, including these who are in the u . s . a . illegally.”
Mutua brought that his ministry will, in the coming days, release a set of new guidelines and strategies that all hopeful migrant employees will have to adhere to and meet before they can be cleared to tour to the Gulf State.
“Kenyan immigration officers will also now not allow Kenyans to journey out of the us of a as domestic employees except enjoyable the set necessities starting on Monday, 7th November, 2022,” he said.
“We have set up a joint Technical Team of Kenya and Saudi Arabia Government officers to fast-track labour issues inclusive of the trouble of exit visas. They begin their work two weeks from nowadays on November 17th, 2022.”
He in a similar fashion revealed that each Kenya and Saudi Arabia have okayed the formation of a hotline that Kenyan employees can call to air their grievances and file any instances of abuse.
“The emergency hotline at the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh is 966500755060. On receiving a call, we will take prompt action, such as but no longer constrained to engaging the Saudi Government for their assistance: the notion is to ensure each Kenyan works and lives a pleasant life,” he said.
Mutua additionally requested for an amnesty to be granted to Kenyans who have fallen out of reputation and are living in Saudi Arabia illegally, as well as elevated quotas to permit skilled Kenyans in all fields to get jobs in Saudi Arabia.
“The Kenyan Government is additionally dispatching additional body of workers to the Riyadh Embassy to assist in the method of legalizing Kenyans who are out of repute and processing journeying archives and other imperative work,” noted the CS.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia needs to get greater Kenyans employed in their country and we will play our section as a Government to make sure that more Kenyans can work and earn well working in Saudi Arabia.”
