Former Kenyan Diplomat in Saudi Arabia Faces Probe Over Sexual Exploitation of Vulnerable Workers

The Kenyan government has initiated an investigation into allegations that a former embassy official in Saudi Arabia exploited vulnerable Kenyan migrant workers, following a report by The New York Times. 

The inquiry centres on Robinson Juma Twanga, previously a labour attaché at the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh, who is accused of demanding sexual favours from distressed workers seeking assistance. According to The New York Times exposé published on April 4, Kenyan women working in Saudi Arabia faced abuse and exploitation from their employers. 

When these women sought refuge at the Kenyan embassy, they were reportedly met with further mistreatment, including insults, dismissals, and coercion into providing sexual favours in exchange for help. Multiple testimonies allege that Twanga refused to assist distressed workers unless they complied with his demands for sex or money. 

Some victims recounted being pressured into sex work to fund their return home. Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu has affirmed the government’s commitment to investigating the former official, despite the alleged incidents occurring five years ago. 

Speaking on Spice FM, Njogu clarified that Twanga is no longer employed by the government. She added that authorities will ensure the matter is probed and legal action is taken.

“The said officer is no longer an employee of the Government of Kenya. This will be investigated, and we will deal with it,” Njogu stated.

The government acknowledges that no formal complaints had been filed against Twanga despite the gravity of the accusations. Njogu urges victims to come forward and report such incidents to ensure accountability and safer working conditions for Kenyans abroad.

“The most concerning thing is that to date, five years later, we do not have a formal complaint against this person,” Njogu notes. “I understand victims of such incidents find it difficult to come out and report, but we encourage reporting of these cases.”

To address ongoing concerns, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has introduced a specialized reporting channel—an email address accessible solely by the Principal Secretary—to facilitate anonymous and secure reporting of misconduct by embassy officials. Njogu emphasizes the importance of vetting recruitment agencies before travelling abroad, urging prospective migrant workers to ensure they engage with accredited agencies to minimize exposure to exploitation.

The revelation of these abuses comes amid increasing concerns about the welfare of Kenyans working overseas. Recently, Kenya repatriated the last group of citizens stranded in Myanmar, where they had faced severe mistreatment. Legal experts argue that the allegations against Twanga underscore a broader issue of inadequate protections for Kenyan workers abroad. Nairobi-based lawyer Bonareri Okeiga revealed that multiple victims had documented similar accounts involving embassy officials, yet no mechanisms were in place to hold them accountable.

“There’s no one holding them accountable,” said Bonareri Okeiga, a former program coordinator at the Global Justice Group, a legal aid organization supporting victims of labour exploitation.