Kenya has raised diplomatic concerns over Esther Wanja Muthoni’s sentence in Saudi Arabia.
Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’oei says Kenya will pursue diplomatic engagement after a Riyadh court sentenced Esther Wanja Muthoni over sex outside marriage.
Kenya has expressed concern after a Saudi court sentenced Kenyan domestic worker Esther Wanja Muthoni to 100 lashes. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said the punishment would amount to cruel and inhuman treatment under Kenyan law.
In a November 11 statement, Sing’oei also acknowledged the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia’s legal system. He said Kenya would continue engaging Saudi authorities through diplomatic channels over such judicial matters.
A criminal court in Riyadh convicted Muthoni, 40, in October of having sexual relations outside marriage following her son’s birth. The three-judge panel also imposed one year of banishment.
Circumstances behind the 100 lashes sentence
Muthoni, a mother of five, reportedly became pregnant after a brief relationship with an Egyptian man. At the time, she worked legally as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia.
She gave birth to her son, Abudy, at staff accommodation in August 2025. Her supervisor reportedly discovered the newborn and took mother and child to hospital. Police subsequently detained Muthoni for questioning about the pregnancy.
The man identified as the child’s father had reportedly left Saudi Arabia before authorities began investigating. Court documents reportedly showed that Muthoni had a translator during proceedings but no lawyer.
Muthoni reportedly feared she would not survive the punishment. However, she did not appeal the conviction, saying her priority was returning home to her children.
Saudi Arabia announced reforms in 2020 restricting flogging for certain offences. Those changes did not end the practice entirely, however. Punishments prescribed under particular interpretations of Islamic law remained an exception.
Concerns over migrant workers and travel documents
The case has renewed debate over protections for Kenyan women working in Saudi households. In May 2025, Amnesty International documented allegations of exploitation after interviewing more than 70 former domestic workers.
The allegations included excessive working hours, unpaid wages, physical and sexual abuse, passport confiscation and movement restrictions. Amnesty also raised concerns about the kafala sponsorship system. It ties workers’ legal status to employers and can hinder job changes or departures from abusive workplaces.
Meanwhile, Kenya has acknowledged documentation difficulties facing mothers and children in Saudi Arabia. These include obtaining birth certificates and securing travel documents.
In a November 2025 briefing, the foreign affairs ministry said mobile consular services had collected 707 DNA samples. The initiative aimed to verify parent-child relationships and support documentation.
The ministry also said an interdepartmental working group established in January 2025 had helped families return home. It had facilitated the return of 59 Kenyan mothers and 73 children from Saudi Arabia.
