Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Wednesday, July 10 disclosed that at least 316 Kenyans have died working in the Gulf countries from 2002 to date.
Speaking during a plenary session at the Senate, Mudavadi said the numbers are in six out of the eight Gulf states.
The Prime CS noted that 166 Kenyans had died in Saudi Arabia, 58 in Qatar, 51 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 25 in Iraq, 10 in Bahrain, and six in Kuwait during the period. On the other hand, Oman and Iran have recorded zero deaths in the period.
“The records we have show that the total number of Kenyans who have lost their lives in the Gulf region is 316,” said Mudavadi.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a robust counseling department that provides psychological support to bereaved families and coordinates arrangements for the family to receive the body.
The Prime CS at the same disclosed that 416,548 Kenyans are currently working in the Gulf region. Out of the 416, 548 Kenyans, 310,266 are in Saudi Arabia, 66,025 in Qatar, 23,000 in the UAE, 8,000 in Bahrain, 5,392 in Oman, 3,515 in Kuwait, 200 in Iran, and 150 in Iraq.
However, Mudavadi said it was difficult to identify these people because some of them had not registered with Kenyan missions in the Gulf countries.
Further, Mudavadi said that some also move from one country to another, which is also difficult to track without having to register.
“Kenyan in this territories exhibit high movement between various states. The numbers given therefore constitute periodic statistics derived from our missions in these countries further corroborated through official sources of the host governments,” Mudavadi stated.
Additionally, he mentioned that Kenya will set up safe houses in the Gulf to house distressed migrant workers before they are repatriated.
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