Another Kenyan family, from Ting’a in Nyamira County, is grieving the loss of a 24-year-old relative who passed away in Saudi Arabia, a Gulf nation, under suspicious circumstances.
Simon Obuya last spoke with his wife Millicent Moraa on July 14. She had only been in the Gulf nation of Saudi Arabia for three months at that point, having arrived on March 17 in pursuit of better opportunities.
The late Moara had repeatedly expressed worries about her employer’s unwanted sexual approaches, even though she got work less than a month after arriving in the country. She had also urged BK Sibs, the agency that had placed her there, to get her a new employer.
According to her family, her unexpected death occurred after she returned to her work after leaving the home after a month. The boss asked her to return, pledging to stop making advances—a promise that was never kept. This compelled her to work with her agent to devise a plan to escape the house.
“Alikuwa ameongea na agent wake wa kenya gilbert kuwa anataka arudishwe kwa ofisi. Gilbert akamshauri asimame kwa gate kesho yake…. akampigia Gilbert na pia akanipigia akanieleza kuwa ameweza kutoka nje na anagongoja agent wake wa saudi amchukue kutoka hapo kwa gate. Hio ndio mara ya mwisho niliskia kutoka kwa Millicent,” the husband narrates.
Two months have passed since the family was informed of Moraa’s death on July 23 due to a brain freeze brought on by a fall, as reported by Saudi health authorities. The agency informed the family that all necessary funds had been sent to return Moraa home, but the body has not yet been returned for burial.
“Kuna documents alikuwa anatutumia ati ni risiti za kulipa. sasa nilipomwambia kitu kama death certificate unitumie akaniambia ati hizo zitakuja na mwili. Lakini kwa wiki hii moja amekuwa ni mtu haeleweki. Nikimpigia simu hashiki. Mwisho aliniambia pia yeye ako kenya kama mimi na pia yeye anangoja tu. sasa mimi nikashindwa uhalali wa hii agency ni gani kama hajui ile mambo inaendelea,” Moraa’s father-in-law Daniel Areba.
The family, who has been grieving for the past month following the incident, is now requesting assistance from the government to return Moraa home for a proper funeral and sense of closure.
