When Selestine Kemoli sought refuge at the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh in 2020, she was terrified after enduring horrific abuse as a maid in Saudi Arabia. Kemoli, like many East African women, was desperate to return home to her children after facing physical violence, including being forced to drink urine and suffering knife wounds. Instead of receiving the help she needed, the embassy's labor attaché, Robinson Juma Twanga, reportedly made a shocking proposition: he would assist her only if she agreed to sleep with him, mirroring the abuse she had experienced from her employer.
This disturbing pattern has emerged in multiple accounts from women who approached the Kenyan embassy for help. They stated that not only did Twanga demand sexual favors, but he also pressured them into sex work or required monetary compensation for aid. Lawyers representing the victims confirm that they have gathered numerous similar reports about exploitation by various embassy officials. This grim situation underscores a systemic failure to protect vulnerable workers and highlights the urgent need for accountability and change within embassy support systems for overseas employees.
