The government will launch an investigation against a Kenyan official who previously worked at the Kenyan Embassy in Saudi Arabia after an exposé by The New York Times revealed that officials demanded sexual favors before helping Kenyans in distress.
In an article published on April 4, The NYT reported that Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia faced abuse and exploitation.
When these women sought help from Kenyan embassies, they reported being insulted, dismissed, and even subjected to demands for sexual favors by several diplomats, one of whom was named.
Speaking during an interview on Spice FM, State Department for Diaspora Affairs PS Roseline Njogu described the situation as concerning and assured that the government would take action against one of the officers named in the article, despite the incident having occurred five years ago.
According to the CS, the named officer was fired from the Embassy, but the government will ensure that an investigation is opened and that he faces charges for his offense.
“The said officer is no longer an employee of the Government of Kenya. This will be investigated, and we will deal with it,” the PS said.
However, Njogu pointed out that despite the ordeal having occurred five years ago, there was no formal complaint against the said officer. She revealed that, like many Kenyans, the government learned about the issue through the article.
The PS has urged Kenyans in the diaspora to be open and report such instances to ensure safer working environments.
“The most concerning thing is that to date, five years later, we do not have a formal complaint against this person. I understand victims of such incidents find it difficult to come out and report, but we encourage reporting of these cases,” the CS said.
The PS further revealed that, to combat future incidents and deal with corrupt officials, the Ministry has established a special email address for Kenyans in the diaspora to report such cases — one that is accessible only to the PS.
Speaking during the interview, the PS also urged Kenyans to thoroughly vet recruitment agencies before traveling abroad to ensure they are working with legally accredited agents.
She emphasized the importance of conducting due diligence to avoid falling victim to fraudulent or unregistered organizations, which could expose travelers to risks such as exploitation and mistreatment.
The development comes after Kenya received the last batch of Kenyans who had been stuck in Myanmar, where they faced mistreatment, abuse, and torture.
