Abu Dhabi: Although Kenya has not placed any restrictions on female domestic workers going abroad, maids from that country started coming to the UAE in recent years only, a senior official at the Kenyan Embassy in Abu Dhabi told Gulf News.
“Most of the Kenyan housemaids currently working in the UAE reached here two or three years ago only,” said the official who did not want to be named. “Earlier there were no Kenyan maids here.”
The embassy does not have the exact number of Kenyan housemaids in the UAE.
The Kenyan government does not restrict the female domestic workers going abroad as it is part of their freedom of movement, the official said.
Kenya has not formulated any regulations including minimum wage for such workers.
The government may initiate such measures when an agreement on labour protection is signed between Kenya and the UAE, the official said. “Now a draft agreement is being negotiated between the two governments.”
The embassy receives very few complaints from housemaids. “It’s maybe one or two a month,” he said.
The official advised the prospective employers to approach authorised recruitment agents for hiring a Kenyan housemaid.
