Kenya Evacuates Over 3,000 Distressed Migrant Workers as MPs Demand Crackdown on Rogue Recruiters

Nairobi, Kenya – August 6, 2025

The Diaspora Affairs Department has confirmed the evacuation of more than 3,000 Kenyan migrant workers from foreign countries in the past year, amid escalating reports of exploitation, abuse, and contract violations — triggering renewed calls in Parliament for urgent regulatory reform of the country’s labour export industry.

Appearing before the National Assembly Labour and Social Welfare Committee, senior ministry officials disclosed that the majority of evacuees were domestic workers and security guards, primarily from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and Lebanon. Many had faced inhumane working conditions, sexual harassment, confiscation of travel documents, and denial of wages.

“We Are Rescuing Our Own from Modern Slavery”

Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu told lawmakers that while the government has strengthened bilateral labour agreements, enforcement remains weak, and unscrupulous agencies continue to recruit vulnerable youth under false promises.

“We are not just talking about labour violations — we are talking about modern-day slavery in some instances,” PS Njogu said. “The government has repatriated over 3,000 Kenyans in distress in the last 12 months, and more cases continue to surface daily.”

She noted that many victims are recruited from rural areas with little awareness of their rights, and are dispatched with no pre-departure training, medical screening, or proper employment contracts.

MPs Demand License Revocations and Criminal Charges

Lawmakers have now demanded a crackdown on rogue recruitment agencies, some of which are licensed by the National Employment Authority (NEA) but operate without vetting, transparency, or accountability.

MP Catherine Waruguru (Laikipia County) called for the immediate suspension of agencies implicated in trafficking and abuse, and proposed that Parliament introduce criminal penalties — including jail time — for those found guilty of recruiting under false pretenses.

“We cannot claim to care about our youth while exporting them into abuse,” she said. “We need a public database of approved recruiters and a blacklist of banned ones — updated monthly.”

Spotlight on Gaps in Kenya’s Labour Export Model

Kenya currently exports tens of thousands of workers annually to the Middle East and Gulf countries through bilateral labour agreements. However, critics argue that enforcement mechanisms are underfunded and uncoordinated, allowing cartels to thrive under the guise of legal recruitment.

A report by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) last month documented over 700 cases of abuse in the last year alone, including physical assault, rape, starvation, and unpaid salaries.

KHRC Executive Director Davis Malombe warned that unless oversight improves, Kenya risks becoming a hub for labour exploitation masked as economic migration.

New Policy Measures in the Pipeline

In response to the growing crisis, the Diaspora Affairs Department has announced a raft of new measures, including:

• Establishing Labour Attaché offices in more destination countries.

• Mandating pre-departure orientation and legal literacy training.

• Creating a real-time migrant worker tracking system to monitor wellbeing abroad.

• Partnering with Interpol and immigration officials to flag repeat-offender agencies.

Parliament is also expected to debate the Labour Migration and Protection Bill, 2025, which seeks to tighten licensing procedures, improve grievance handling, and define minimum standards for overseas job placements.

A Test of Political Will

While the evacuation efforts mark progress, civil society organisations stress that real accountability lies not just in rescuing victims, but in preventing the abuse from happening in the first place.

“This is not just a policy failure — it’s a moral one,” said labour rights activist Hellen Wanjohi, adding that thousands more remain stranded or trapped in exploitative conditions with no embassy support.