Where Is She Now: Faith Murunga's Horrible Experience In Saudi Arabia [VIDEO]
Murunga flew back into the country mid-last year after she escaped from her employer's house
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Tales of Kenyans' horrifying experiences in Saudi Arabia at the hands of their employers have been hitting headlines more often. But none is as daunting as Faith Murunga.
During a Citizen TV interview on August 18, 2021, Murunga and Lorna Cherop uncovered the nightmares they had gone through while working in the Middle East, which left the Ministry of Labour under CS Simon Chelugui, badly exposed.
Almost a year later, she released a new gospel song titled Dhuluma, produced by legendary producer and businessman Keggah Kinuthia from ‘Beat Ya Keggah’, who has worked with top talents such as Collo, Mejja, Kristoff, Khaligraph, Nonini, Nyashinski among others.
Faith Murunga and Lorna Cherop with Citizen TV's Jeff Koinange on August 18, 2021. /JEFF KOINANGE
In the song, she recounts her ordeal which saw her first undergoing training in Syokimau, Machakos County to be sensitised on the working conditions of Saudi Arabia, an opportunity she saw as one that would propel her income to send back home to her young family.
With a salary of approximately Ksh23,000 a month, Murunga had an elaborate plan to make good use of her earnings for a period of time but this was not to be.
“At some point, I thought I would die. My boss in Saudi Arabia poured hot water on my arm and that's why I have this burn.
"I know many Kenyans who have died in Saudi Arabia. If the government does not take action many more will die,” she explained during the TV interview, adding that she was held at gunpoint by her boss after she wanted to quit her job over mistreatment.
Murunga flew back into the country mid-last year after she escaped from her employer's house, a caterer, who forced her to do catering that was against the terms of her contract.
She noted that Kenyans in Saudi Arabia are always mistreated and subjected to poor pay, despite being promised riches by agencies that take them there.
“I went through hell. One time I was beaten so bad after my boss asked me to bring a cup and I brought a spoon yet I didn't understand the language. I used to have one meal in a day and that is strong tea" she said.
Murunga had further accused the government of turning a blind eye to Kenyans in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East Countries.
“I got no support from any Kenyan official in Saudi Arabia. I called one Embassy guy and they used vulgar language and he told me 'you are a girl, go do what your friends are doing so that you are hired, sleep with your boss so that you get employed," said Murunga.
She further appealed to Kenyans to work with licensed agencies. CS Chelugui defended his Ministry, promising at the time that he would visit the country in 30 days to assess the situation.
“We have about 97,000 Kenyans in Saudi Arabia. Over 200 Kenyans are on deportation or transit back home driven to different factors. Some have run away from their previous contracts and they have been reported to the authorities," he said.
An image of a city in Saudi Arabia. /SHUTTERSTOCK
Murunga has since been fighting human trafficking through an aid agency offering labourers who've endured abuse at the hands of their employers a chance to rebuild their lives.
One month after the interview, she was offered support by a poultry production company based in Kenya to set up her own chicken shop.
The company assisted Murunga in covering the cost of branding the Shop along with paying one month’s rent and deposit for the shop. It also supplied the shop with a weighing scale and one month’s stock worth Ksh25,000 as well as provided basic training to Murunga in financial management and bookkeeping business sustainability.
