Vihiga family faces financial strain after loved one dies in Saudi Arabia
Now, the family is left with the painful reality of not only grieving her loss but also struggling to afford the cost of repatriating her body, which they say amounts to Sh1.3 million.
Another family from Shamakhokho ward in Vihiga County is mourning the untimely death of their loved one, 28-year-old Elizabeth Cheusi, who passed away in Saudi Arabia.
Two years ago, Elizabeth left Kenya to work as a domestic worker, hoping to provide for her two young children and lift her family out of poverty.
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Now, the family is left with the painful reality of not only grieving her loss but also struggling to afford the cost of repatriating her body, which they say amounts to Sh1.3 million.
Agnes M'maitsi, Elizabeth's grandmother, recalled the difficult decision her granddaughter made to travel abroad for work.
"It was an elaborate process that involved training in Nairobi before my grandchild, along with others, left the country. We have been in touch, but last week, I was informed via a phone call that she was no more," Agnes said.
"I was happy that Cheusi had gotten the opportunity to help us out of poverty," she added, remembering the hope that Elizabeth's efforts abroad would improve their situation.
Now, those hopes have turned into grief, and Agnes finds herself in a financial and emotional crisis.
"I don't know where Saudi Arabia is, yet I am informed that I need Sh1.3 million to repatriate my granddaughter," she said, struggling to understand how to make the arrangements.
The family, already facing financial hardships, is calling for help to bring their loved one home for a proper burial.
Diana Lugonga, Elizabeth's sister, described the confusion surrounding the death and the lack of assistance from the agent who had arranged Elizabeth's travel.
"My sister left us with the details of the agent who was taking her to Saudi Arabia, but he claimed not to know her when I inquired about her after hearing that she was dead," Diana explained.
Tragic social media news
It was only through social media that the family was able to confirm Elizabeth's death, as friends of the deceased posted photos of her.
Diana further revealed that some close friends of Elizabeth insisted the agent, who later denied knowing her, had been the one to send her to Saudi Arabia.
On a second inquiry, the agent claimed that Elizabeth was no longer working under his agency at the time of her death.
The family's pain has not gone unnoticed in their village. Neighbours, who gather daily to offer their support, are urging local leaders to involve the government to help the family with the financial burden of repatriation.
Elizabeth's death is part of a troubling pattern affecting many Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia. According to Kenya's Foreign Ministry, 89 Kenyans, mostly domestic workers, have died in the country over the past two years as reported in September 2024.
While Saudi authorities have attributed many of the deaths to cardiac arrest, questions about the true causes of these deaths remain unanswered.
The rise in deaths comes even though the total number of Kenyan deaths abroad has decreased, highlighting the harsh realities of migrant labour in the region.
The Kenya Vital Statistics Report 2023, released in January 2025, showed a troubling rise in the number of Kenyans dying in Saudi Arabia. Registered deaths in the Gulf nation increased to 29 in 2023, compared to 13 in 2022.
While the overall number of Kenyan deaths abroad dropped by 10.3 per cent, from 301 in 2022 to 270 in 2023, Saudi Arabia saw the largest increase. It now accounts for nearly 11 per cent of all Kenyan deaths abroad.
This rise in fatalities is especially concerning because Saudi Arabia is one of the main destinations for Kenyan migrant workers.
In October 2024, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi revealed that 316 Kenyan migrant workers have died in Gulf countries since 2002, with Saudi Arabia having the highest number at 166 deaths. Qatar had 58 deaths, and other countries like the UAE, Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait had fewer fatalities.
There is a significant number of Kenyans working in the Gulf states, with at least 416,548 Kenyans employed across eight Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia is home to more than 310,000 Kenyan workers, making it the largest destination for Kenyan labour. Qatar comes second with 66,000, and smaller numbers work in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq.
Despite the large number of Kenyan workers, keeping track of exact deaths and monitoring their well-being remains difficult.
Mudavadi pointed out that many Kenyan workers are not registered with Kenyan embassies, making it harder for the government to keep accurate records.
"Kenyans in these territories exhibit high movement between various states. The numbers given therefore constitute periodic statistics derived from our missions in these countries, further corroborated through official sources of the host governments,” Mudavadi explained during a Senate session.
The lack of proper registration also makes it harder for the government to respond quickly and effectively to crises faced by workers in the Gulf.
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