Heartbreaking stories of Kenyans who travel to Saudi Arabia in search of greener pastures only to return in caskets have flooded the media in the recent past.
With each passing day, these stories elicit mixed reactions, with a section of Kenyans showing affection and support for the victims while others vent their frustrations and anger at the government and other stakeholders.
Seeing families soak their tears in handkerchiefs, and hug each other with the hope of relieving the pain is a testament that pain indeed is a strong biological phenomenon that cannot be measured.
The story of Miriam Kemunto,33, stands out as the agency that facilitated her move to Saudi Arabia stated that she died by suicide due to pressure from her husband back in Kenya.
According to the agency, Kemunto and her husband differed on the investment of her hard-earned money. Reports indicate that as she toiled to earn a living in a hostile foreign nation, the husband based in Kisii County squandered the funds on purchasing personal items.
The children also reportedly slept hungry as they grappled with eating three meals daily.
As her three children missed their mother, Kemunto pushed herself beyond her limits and even resorted to changing her employer in the belief that she'd make more money.
She thus complained about unusual events, according to the agency.
"Miriam was facing pressure from her husband back in Kenya. She also asked me to change her from the current house," the agency explained.
Speaking to KTN News, the husband countered, stating that Kemunto decided to fly to Saudi Arabia after he mysteriously got ill.
He added that despite his protest to stop her, she remained firm and left for Saudi Arabia in October 2021. Three months later, she was reported dead.
However, the family claimed that she was left in the dark about the whereabouts of their kin. The news of her death thus came as a shock to them in January 2022.
"I got the reports of her death through her brother. I had tried reaching out to her several times to no avail," the husband lamented.
He added that Kemunto had earlier complained that she was losing weight as she was impoverished. She claimed that she was denied a balanced diet by her employers. Her body remained in Saudi Arabia for three months before being flown to Kenya in March 2022 for burial.
Kemunto's husband sadly stated that the burden of raising their three children alone piled on his ill health. Leaders in the area condemned the act and urged the government to intervene and help Kenyans seeking employment abroad.
Meanwhile, recently, Kenyans joined hands in pressuring the government to repatriate Diana Chepkemoi who was reportedly held in Saudi Arabia against her will. Diana had travelled to the gulf state to raise funds for her tertiary education and to offset her mother's health bills.
