Kenyan Nurse in Saudi Arabia Sparks Outrage with Viral Exposé on Exploitative Work Conditions

Country: Saudi Arabia
Date Published: January 8, 2026

A Kenyan nurse working in Saudi Arabia has ignited a firestorm of debate on X (formerly Twitter) after posting a harrowing thread detailing grueling work hours, unpaid wages, and alleged abuse by her employer. Mercy Wanjiku, who has been based in Riyadh for over two years, shared screenshots of her contract, pay stubs showing months of delays, and audio clips of confrontations with management. Her initial post on January 8, garnering over 15,000 reposts and 50,000 likes within hours, has drawn responses from Kenyan influencers, diaspora groups, and even government officials calling for investigations.

The thread, which went viral among Kenyan X users under hashtags like #KenyansInSaudi and #DiasporaExposed, describes Wanjiku working 18-hour shifts without overtime pay, sleeping in overcrowded staff quarters, and facing threats of deportation for complaining. "I left Kenya dreaming of a better life, but this is modern slavery," she wrote, attaching evidence of her passport being withheld. Regular users and verified accounts, including Kenyan MP Babu Owino (@Babu_Owino), amplified the post, with Owino tweeting, "Time to bring our people home or hold Saudi accountable! @StateHouseKenya act now." Discussions quickly trended in Kenya, with over 200,000 impressions on related threads.

Replies poured in from other Kenyans abroad sharing similar stories, painting a broader picture of challenges faced by thousands in Gulf countries. One user, @DiasporaKenyan1 (with 10k followers), posted a poll asking if Gulf jobs are worth the risk, receiving 5,000 votes with 78% saying no. News accounts like @CitiZenTVKenya and @K24Tv retweeted Wanjiku's story, linking it to ongoing remittances debates—Kenyans abroad sent $4.5 billion home in 2025, per Central Bank data cited in threads. Critics accused her of exaggeration, but supporters pointed to past scandals, like the 2024 case of 12 Kenyan workers repatriated from Qatar.

Saudi embassy accounts have not responded directly on X, but Kenyan Foreign Affairs spokesperson Korir Sing'oei acknowledged the buzz in a quote-tweet, stating, "We are in touch with Mercy and monitoring the situation." Wanjiku updated her thread saying she's been threatened with arrest, prompting calls for a diaspora evacuation fund. The conversation has shifted focus to policy reforms, with users demanding better vetting of overseas recruiters. As of January 12, the thread remains a top trending topic in Kenya, highlighting the double-edged sword of diaspora dreams versus harsh realities.