Ruto's Family Profits from Kenyan Labor Exports to Abusive Gulf Jobs.

A New York Times investigation uncovers that President William Ruto's wife, Rachel Ruto, and daughter, Charlene Ruto, hold major stakes in Africa Merchant Assurance Company, the leading insurer for Kenyan recruitment firms exporting workers to Saudi Arabia, where migrants endure exploitation, violence, and death. The government's Kazi Majuu program has sent hundreds of thousands of young Kenyans to Gulf nations since 2022, driving remittances that now exceed traditional exports like coffee and tea, while top officials including Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura and Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto own recruitment businesses, intertwining state policy with private profits amid reports of inadequate training and overlooked protections. Rights groups document severe abuses, including forced labor and hundreds of deaths since 2020, as the administration pushes faster exports despite these risks.