In brief
Reports from several Kenyan women detail a troubling pattern where embassy officials, rather than providing help, subjected them to further abuse, highlighting systemic exploitation of migrant workers.
Selestine Kemoli's desperate escape to the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh in 2020 illustrates a harrowing reality faced by many East African maids abroad. After suffering severe abuse at the hands of her employer, Kemoli approached the embassy's labor attaché, Robinson Juma Twanga, seeking help to return home to Kenya. Instead of receiving the assistance she desperately needed, Kemoli alleges Twanga responded inappropriately, suggesting a sexual exchange for aid. Accounts from multiple women, unfamiliar with one another and hailing from different regions of Kenya, reveal a disturbing trend where they faced similar exploitation when seeking refuge. Reports indicate that Twanga and other officials reportedly demanded sexual favors, monetary bribes, or pressured women into sex work to secure their return home, compounding their already traumatic experiences. Lawyers noting these testimonies highlight a pervasive culture of exploitation within some embassies that should serve as sanctuaries for vulnerable workers. These revelations have sparked outrage and calls for systemic change in how diplomatic missions address the needs of citizens abroad.
