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Kenya is undergoing a profound economic shift, where the export of human labor has officially surpassed traditional goods like coffee as a primary revenue source. To address a severe financial crisis, President William Ruto’s administration is aggressively promoting labor exports, aiming to send over a million workers abroad annually. This strategy, however, deliberately positions Kenyan domestic workers as a low-cost option in competitive markets such as Saudi Arabia, where they earn significantly less than workers from other nations. Tragically, this focus on high volume and low pay has created conditions ripe for widespread abuse; hundreds of women have been killed, and many more report exploitation. Investigations reveal that the system is further enabled by powerful recruitment agencies with deep political connections. This confluence of economic desperation and political profiteering is fueling a human rights crisis, marking a dark new chapter for the country’s workforce.
The New York Times