COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called upon the government to ban Kenyans from going to work in Saudi Arabia.
Atwoli wants Kenyans to be stopped from being sent to work to the Middle East by recruitment agencies.
According to Atwoli bodies arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport every morning indicating that many of them were suffering abroad just to make a living.
“The issue of people being sent to work outside, that is indirect slavery. You can see the government claim that we have received some money from abroad, but under what circumstances?
“Every morning when at JKIA, there are coffins of Kenyans who have passed away, most coming from Middle East planes. They are young. We object strongly. It is better a country stays poor but protects the lives of its citizens. All countries worldwide prioritize the safety of their people,” he explained during a press conference.
Aside from that, Atwoli said that labour agencies recruiting workers should be disbanded and the governments to deal with each other directly.
“If people want to work anywhere, let Kenyan government and that country’s government get into an agreement. Let us remove the middle people known as labour agencies. They are just perpetuating slavery and we cannot accept. They should also be paid well unlike the stories we hear from those coming out of Middle East,” he said.
He further said that people were free to work where they would like to but governments should ensure that their citizens’ safety is guaranteed.
He urged the government to prioritize the safety its citizen just like other countries.
Cases of Kenyans being mistreated in Saudi Arabia have been rampant in the recent months.
President Uhuru Kenyatta send official from the ministry of labour to the country to address the issue in mid October.
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