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{
    "id": 289659,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/289659/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 115,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Onyonka",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 128,
        "legal_name": "Richard Momoima Onyonka",
        "slug": "richard-onyonka"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would have no objection if the Committee wanted to look into this issue; but there are some facts which I would like to share with my colleagues in this House. The total number of Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region are about 42,000. Many of these are peacefully and successfully working and earning a living. This is simply because we do not have jobs for these individuals in this country. Out of between 40,000 and 42,000 Kenyans who live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, about 842 have reported distress. Out of those cases, 442 of these Kenyans have been repatriated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Government of Saudi Arabia provided tickets for them to come back when they felt that they did not want to stay there. I have stated that very clearly in the answer I have given my colleague. My suggestion is that we should be very careful even when we mean well for our people, and even when we want to have certain legal frameworks and structures to be in place to make sure that their rights are not violated. We should not assume that because many Kenyans are going to the Arab world to seek greener pastures, everybody who is in the Arab world is mistreating, misusing or abusing our Kenyan people. Our Kenyan people are working diligently. Some of them are earning a good living. Many of them are doing extremely well. The few cases that we have got are the ones we have to look into. Thank you."
}