Kenyan Nurse in Saudi Arabia Alleges Brutal Exploitation and Abuse by Recruiters, Ignites Diaspora Outrage on X

Country: Saudi Arabia
Date Published: December 12, 2025

A Kenyan nurse working in Saudi Arabia has sparked a firestorm of discussion on X (formerly Twitter) after posting a harrowing thread detailing alleged physical abuse, unpaid wages, and passport confiscation by her recruitment agency. The viral post, shared on December 12, 2025, by user @MercyNurse254—a verified Kenyan diaspora account with over 50,000 followers—has garnered more than 10,000 reposts, 25,000 likes, and hundreds of quote tweets from fellow Kenyans abroad and at home. Mercy, who has been in Riyadh for 18 months, shared photos of bruises and screenshots of withheld salary slips, claiming her agency, linked to a prominent Kenyan recruiter, promised a KSh 150,000 monthly salary but delivered only KSh 40,000 after "deductions."

The thread exploded amid ongoing conversations about the plight of Kenyan domestic and healthcare workers in Gulf countries, with users tagging Kenyan government officials like Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua and the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh. Influencer @KenyaDiasporaWatch, a popular account tracking migrant worker issues, amplified the story with a follow-up thread citing similar complaints from over 20 other nurses in the last week alone. "This is modern slavery! How many more stories before @StateHouseKenya acts?" the account posted, fueling a trending hashtag #SaveKenyanNursesInSaudi that trended nationwide in Kenya by evening, peaking at over 50,000 posts. Regular users shared personal anecdotes, with one from @JumaInJeddah recounting a friend's deportation after complaining about similar conditions.

Mercy's story highlights broader challenges faced by thousands of Kenyans in Saudi Arabia, where an estimated 100,000 work primarily in healthcare and domestic sectors. X discussions reference a recent report from news account @Kenyans.co.ke, which noted over 500 repatriation requests from Kenyan workers in the Gulf this year due to exploitation. Positive counter-narratives emerged too, with some users praising successful nurses who have bought homes back in Kenya, but the controversy dominated, drawing criticism of bilateral labor agreements. Verified journalist @DennisOkari shared a video interview clip with Mercy, boosting visibility and calls for investigation.

As of December 20, 2025, the Kenyan government has yet to respond officially, though embassy officials quoted in replies promised to "look into the matter." The incident underscores the double-edged sword of diaspora labor migration, where remittances totaling KSh 700 billion annually bolster Kenya's economy, yet leave workers vulnerable. X users continue debating solutions, from stricter vetting of recruiters to mass repatriation campaigns, keeping the conversation alive in real-time threads and live Spaces hosted by diaspora groups.