Kenyans in Lebanon are facing a terrifying ordeal as Israeli bombardments intensify across the country’s southern regions. Many, employed as domestic workers, find themselves trapped, unable to escape the violence and pleading for help.
One video circulating on social media shows a Kenyan woman running frantically through the streets, her voice breaking as she calls on divine intervention amid the terrifying sound of explosions. “Mungu shuka na usitumane,” she cries, as the unmistakable hum of an overhead aircraft and distant wails of others signal the escalating danger.
Why it matters: Getting out of the troubled state is challenging, with Kenya and Lebanon not having formal relations. It is also complicated, with the situation being tough for humanitarian workers and international organisations operating in the region.
This as the death toll in Lebanon continues to climb, with over 558 people dead, including 50 children and 94 women, as a result of Israeli airstrikes. Hospitals, overwhelmed by the influx of wounded, are struggling to cope.
The UN human rights office has condemned the attacks, calling for the protection of civilians and reminding all parties of the obligations under international humanitarian law to distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Dig deeper: The situation is equally dire for Mary, another Kenyan worker in Lebanon, who took to TikTok to share her story. Locked in her employer’s office with no food and her passport confiscated, she is trapped.
Her employer, she says, returned her to the recruitment agency, which has since abandoned her in the office. Mary’s plea for rescue has resonated with many, as fellow Kenyans and social media users attempt to advise her on how to escape her captivity.
In the TikTok livestream, she was able to break a window and break out of the house, but the compound posed another challenge.
In another live stream on YouTube, another Kenyan asserted, "We are living in fear." She went on to assert that even eating is difficult.
"I called the ambassador when things started being tough, but the government is doing nothing," she asserted in the video shared by 'The Lucky Mum Debra Nyanchoka'.
What is happening: The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon into a battlefield, raising fears that the entire country could soon become embroiled in a wider regional war. What started as daily exchanges of fire following the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel has now evolved into a deadly struggle between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Both groups have launched near-daily bombardments, affecting civilians and raising alarm over the broader implications for the Middle East.
Kenyans trapped in Lebanon are finding it nearly impossible to leave. The “kafala” system, which governs the employment of foreign workers in Lebanon, allows employers to confiscate their workers' passports upon arrival.
Even with passports, workers must secure exit visas, a process entirely dependent on the approval of their employer.
Lebanon’s “kafala” system, which controls the lives of around 250,000 migrant workers, leaves many without basic rights. Workers’ immigration statuses are tied to their employers, and without permission, they are unable to travel or access crucial legal protections. For many Kenyans, like Mary, this means being trapped in a country at war, with no way out.
What the government says: The Kenyan government is aware of the dire situation. Last month, Roseline Kathure Njogu, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs, announced that emergency travel documents could be issued for those whose passports had been confiscated. She further assured that flights were being arranged to evacuate those registered with the Kenyan embassy. Out of the estimated 26,000 Kenyans in Lebanon, 1,500 have already registered for evacuation.
However, the process is slow. In an interview with Kenyans.co.ke last month on the issue of irregular immigration, PS Njogu pointed out that while the government can provide emergency assistance, individuals also have a responsibility to safeguard their own safety.
The rising violence, coupled with bureaucratic hurdles, means many Kenyans still face uncertainty.
