‘God, Save Me Before I Die In Saudi Arabia’ - Lady Cries For Help

In May, Lucy Wambui left Kenya for Saudi Arabia to aid her family. As the firstborn, she hoped her wages would aid her single mother and two siblings.

In a Saudi Arabia hospital, the 30-year-old is struggling for her life alone. After a gastrointestinal illness, she was hospitalized for three weeks and had three procedures.

In a tragic viral video, Lucy vomits while writhing in anguish. The photographs reveal a sickly, malnourished woman in a hospital bed with split lips.

Her employer is also detaining her. requesting Sh450,000 reimbursement, claiming she hired an agency Sh600,000 to work for them in Saudi Arabia.

Her family in Matithi, Kambirwa, Kiharu constituency, Murang'a County is distraught as efforts to return her fail.


They viewed the video but don't know how to aid her since her return has failed. Margaret Njoki said her daughter left the country'very' healthy.

Ms. Njoki says her daughter left the country in May but fell ill in November.

She lamented that her daughter's employer won't release her for treatment in Kenya.

Her daughter's employer claims that she paid Sh660,000 for Lucy's services through an agent and is still due Sh450,000 after deducting the five months she worked for them.

“We are really frightened because if they are demanding compensation, we don't know if they would expect us to pay for the hospital cost too,” Ms. Njoki said, fighting back tears.

Monica Nyambura, Lucy's sister, says they want want their sick relative back home to care for her.

During a home interview, Monica Nyambura clutches her sister Lucy Wambui's photo. Lucy is unwell and being held by her Saudi Arabian employer for Sh450,000.
"We fear my sister Lucy would most likely be forced to continue working despite her poor health as the company insists she must recover her money spent on her," said a concerned Ms Nyambura.

When Lucy was sick, Sarah Njeri, her cousin, was in touch with her. After contacting the Saudi Arabian consulate in Nairobi, Njeri's cousin was hospitalized.

“Last month, Lucy told me she was sick, but the employer refused to take her to the hospital. "After the Saudi Arabian embassy interfered, the employer transported her to the hospital where she is now," Njeri said.

She added that her cousin spent several days in ICU and that doctors couldn't diagnose her after a CT scan.

“On Wednesday, last week, we were notified that she had regained consciousness and was taken off the ICU,” said Njeri.


She added the employer hasn't divulged Lucy's hospital or illness.

“She had informed us that she has digestive system troubles and that her colon is inflamed but the last communication we received from the employer is that she has respiratory concerns,” she said.

According to Njeri, Lucy has been in poor condition since going to Saudi Arabia, and her family and friends are asking for her repatriation so they can care for her at home.

She said the employer wants to be reimbursed for her before letting her go.

Stephen Kimani, their neighbor, says Lucy went to Saudi after failing to find work in Kenya.

"It's tragic that the girl departed for greater pastures with good hopes of raising her family from poverty and now stranded in Saudi Arabia with no one to support her," said Kimani.

Joyce Njeri, Lucy's aunt, said the family was devastated by her severe sickness and delighted that she is recuperating.

She called government agencies to aid repatriate their relatives to Saudi Arabia, observing that they are far away and cannot help her.

They say the Kenyan employment agent is unreachable.

We searched Nairobi for the agent's offices but they closed. "We have gone to Saudi Arabian Embassy and Ministry of Labour offices in Nairobi to seek official support, but none is forthcoming," adds the mother.

This family's only wish is for the government to rescue their daughter. In the Gulf, some Kenyan migrant workers are misled by unscrupulous middlemen and never return home, prompting appeals for the Kenyan government to protect its countrymen.

MPs want the government to persuade Gulf nations to respect Kenyans.

Kenyan security guards, drivers, masons, and cleaners work in the Middle East, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.