A House team report has laid bare the systemic problems and red tape that have left thousands of Kenyan migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suffering in silence, facing exploitation and abuse.
The report reveals a crisis where Kenyans are lured by fake promises, trapped in exploitative jobs, and abandoned by the very systems meant to protect them.
The investigation, which included harrowing testimonies from workers in Abu Dhabi, paints a picture of a lucrative labour migration pipeline marred by fraud and neglect.
Kenya has been grappling with cases of maltreatment and even deaths of its citizens working in Saudi Arabia and various parts of the Middle East.
According to the report, which is based on a fact-finding visit by the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, rogue and fake recruitment agencies that operate with impunity are at the heart of the crisis.
The committee, chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech, was informed that the agents dupe hopeful Kenyans, many of them young and unemployed, with promises of non-existent jobs, forging work permits and visas.
Victims often arrive in the UAE on visitor visas only to discover there is no employment, forcing them into desperate survival in low-paying, and informal ‘kaliwali’ jobs or onto the streets.
“Upon arrival and with no job, they resort to very low-paying jobs… They end up on the streets or join homes of other Kenyans as they figure out how to go back home,” the report states, quoting professionals in Abu Dhabi.
MPs observed that the reality, once they arrive at the purported workplaces, is a far cry from the dream of prosperity sold to the unsuspecting workers.
The probe further unearthed a huge wage disparity among the migrants, a situation they attributed to weak diplomatic frameworks.
It emerged that Kenyan domestic workers in Abu Dhabi earn 50 per cent less than their Filipino counterparts doing the same work.
The report attributes it to the direct result of the Philippines' stronger bilateral labour agreements that enforce minimum wage standards.
Kenya arguably lacks such robust protections, leaving the citizens vulnerable to exploitation.
For those in distress, the probe established that there are no safe houses to contain them as they seek help.
The Kenyan Embassy in Abu Dhabi reported that it has been forced on multiple occasions to host stranded citizens within its premises, as there are no dedicated safe shelters.
The need is particularly acute for women, who constitute seven out of 10 distress cases.
“Some lose their jobs after differing with their employers and need a safe holding place… they are too vulnerable,” the Committee observed.
Despite two years of advocacy by the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, funding for these vital safe havens remains unsecured.
MPs also decried the absurd logistical hurdles that Kenyans seeking basic consular services face.
The report highlights that workers based in Abu Dhabi must undertake “costly and time-consuming travel” to Dubai to renew or process passports.
The committee concluded that this is a nearly impossible task for those whose employers restrict their movement.
A planned solution to send officials to Abu Dhabi twice a month is yet to be implemented.
The committee also found that the crisis follows migrants home, with many workers losing their life savings to fraudulent investment schemes.
Cases of unscrupulous relatives in Kenya, with no reliable, vetted channels for secure diaspora investment, were also noted.
In their recommendations, the MPs demand urgent action to strengthen bilateral agreements.
They want the government to fast-track and sign binding agreements with the UAE that align with International Labour Standards.
MPs want the agreements to specifically set minimum wages and standards for decent working conditions.
They also want concerned authorities to educate potential migrants on legitimate procedures and red flags to combat fraud by fake agents.
MPs further want the state to prioritise funding for shelters in the UAE to provide immediate refuge for stranded and abused workers.
“Immediately implement mobile or agency-based services in Abu Dhabi to stop forcing workers to travel to Dubai,” MPs said.
MPs also want authorities to test employment documents by the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE, mandatory before departure from Nairobi.
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