The Kenyan government has issued a comprehensive report detailing the plight of over 700 Kenyan mothers and their undocumented children stranded in Saudi Arabia, outlining urgent measures for support, documentation, and repatriation. Released amid growing concerns and parliamentary inquiries, the report highlights bureaucratic hurdles, legal discrepancies between Kenyan and Saudi laws, and ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi emphasized the issue's prevalence in Saudi Arabia, home to over 200,000 Kenyan workers, making it the third-largest global labor market for foreign workers and Kenya's second-largest source of diaspora remittances after the United States.According to the report, the core challenge stems from Saudi laws prohibiting pre- or extramarital sex, which can lead to penalties like arrest, imprisonment, or deportation, and require a marriage certificate for child birth registrations. This contrasts with Kenyan laws, such as the Citizenship and Immigration Act and the Births and Deaths Registration Act, which protect children's rights regardless of parental marital status. As a result, many children born to Kenyan migrant workers lack proper documentation, leaving families in legal limbo and often facing exploitation, abuse, or homelessness in cities like Jeddah and Riyadh. A recent New York Times exposé further spotlighted cases of withheld wages and violence against Kenyan domestic workers.The government has collected 707 DNA samples through Mobile Consular Services to verify parentage and process birth certificates, enabling immediate repatriation. However, engagement remains low: under the Mwanamberi Project launched in 2023, only 113 parents have applied for birth certificates, with 110 processed and about one-third collected. Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu urged affected mothers to utilize dedicated channels at the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh, the Consulate in Jeddah, or the State Department in Nairobi, stating, "We have worked to mitigate the situation of undocumented children, including DNA sampling, negotiating temporary waivers for mothers out of status, and facilitating repatriation."A key initiative is the Joint Interdepartmental Working Group (JIWG), established in January 2025 with the Kenyan Embassy and Saudi ministries of Foreign Affairs, Labour, Interior, and the General Directorate of Passports. This group issues Emergency Travel Documents and has facilitated the repatriation of 59 mothers and 73 children so far. Additionally, Kenya negotiated an amnesty for out-of-status nationals, allowing undocumented Kenyans to regularize their status or exit without fines, detention, or penalties. Mudavadi noted broader repatriation successes, with over 500 Kenyans rescued and returned home since 2022, including efforts to combat human trafficking in Southeast Asia where 126 Kenyans (69 in Thailand and 57 in Myanmar) await repatriation.The report follows public outcry, including a social media post by Kiambu Senator Karung'o wa Thang'wa highlighting a stranded mother's case. On X, official accounts like the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary shared the full status update, urging families to collect pending documents. Principal Secretary Njogu posted images and details, emphasizing "#diasporafirst," while media outlets like Citizen TV reported on the "magnitude of crisis" with hundreds affected. Users like
@osorotimothyKE
echoed the government's call for action.Moving forward, the government pledges continued bilateral interventions and proactive outreach, including public listing of rogue job agencies—nearly 600 have been delisted—and encouraging use of official employment channels. Mudavadi affirmed, "The government is pursuing bilateral interventions, and this has been a subject of several parliamentary questions." This report marks a step toward accountability, but advocates stress the need for swift implementation to prevent further hardships.