24-Year-Old Kenyan Woman from Nyamira Dies Mysteriously in Saudi Arabia

A 24-year-old Kenyan from Nyamira County's Ting'a area recently died under mysterious circumstances in Saudi Arabia, leaving their family in mourning.

Moraa, who departed for the Gulf nation on March 17th, 2024, in pursuit of better prospects, met an untimely end under mysterious circumstances just months after her arrival. According to her husband Simon Obuya, Moraa initially expressed contentment with her new employment. However, this satisfaction was short-lived. Within a fortnight, she began reporting incidents of sexual harassment by her employer. Despite briefly leaving her place of work due to these unwelcome advances, Moraa returned after receiving assurances that the behaviour would cease. Regrettably, these promises proved hollow.

In a desperate bid to escape her situation, Moraa sought assistance from her Kenyan agent Gilbert. She planned to leave her employer's residence and return to the agency's office. Obuya recounts that his last communication with Moraa occurred as she waited for her Saudi agent to collect her from outside the house. Tragically, this would be the final time he heard from his wife. Two months elapsed before the family received the devastating news of Moraa's death on July 23rd. Saudi health authorities attributed her demise to a brain freeze resulting from a fall, an explanation that has left the family with more questions than answers.

Despite assurances from the agency that all necessary arrangements had been made for the repatriation of Moraa's remains, her body has yet to be returned to Kenya for burial. The family's ordeal has been compounded by the apparent lack of transparency and communication from the recruitment agency. Daniel Areba, Moraa's father-in-law, expresses frustration at the agency's inability to provide crucial documents such as a death certificate. The family, who has been in mourning for over a month, is now appealing to the Kenyan government for assistance in bringing Moraa's body home and finding closure.

In the Gulf region, reports of abuse, mistreatment, and even deaths of domestic workers have been alarmingly frequent in recent years. These cases have led to increased calls for the Kenyan government to implement stricter regulations and provide better support for its citizens working abroad. Advocacy groups have emphasized the need for more robust bilateral agreements between Kenya and Gulf countries to safeguard the rights and well-being of migrant workers.