Exploitation in Embassy Shelters: Kenyan Maids Share Harrowing Experiences

Several women recount their traumatic experiences of abuse while working as maids in Saudi Arabia and how embassy representatives compounded their suffering by demanding sexual favors in return for assistance.

In a shocking revelation, numerous Kenyan women working in Saudi Arabia have accused embassy officials of further victimizing them when they sought help. Many of these women, having endured years of abuse from their employers, turn to the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh as a refuge. For Selestine Kemoli, this escape was tainted with additional trauma. In 2020, after suffering brutal treatment, including physical violence and sexual assault from her employer, Kemoli sought assistance from the Kenyan labor attaché, Robinson Juma Twanga. Desperate to return to her children, her plea was met not with compassion but with exploitation; she alleges that Twanga proposed a troubling exchange: help in return for sex.

Ms. Kemoli's story is not unique. Other women, each with their own harrowing tales, have come forward with similar allegations, claiming that when they approached the embassy for help, they were met with sexual advances or demands for money. Many have reported being pressured into sex work to fund their repatriation. Lawyers representing these women assert that accounts of exploitation by embassy officials are widespread, underscoring a disturbing pattern of abuse at a time when these women are most vulnerable. The testimonies reflect a severe betrayal of trust and responsibility by those tasked with safeguarding the rights of Kenyan citizens abroad.