The family of Jane Omondi, a Kenyan woman who died while working in Saudi Arabia in 2024, has finally been able to bury her at home.

Jane, who hailed from Kaloleni in Kilifi County, was initially buried in Saudi Arabia without her family’s knowledge. Her remains were later exhumed and repatriated to Kenya for a proper burial.

After more than a year and a half of anguish, Jane’s family held a ceremony to lay her to rest on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Her husband, Samuel Gumbau, described the ordeal.

“Jeni akaanga tarehe tatu mwezi wa saba 2024. Tumetembea hapa na pale, tumekoniwa, nimeharibu pesa ili kufanikisha mke wangu nitamuona vipi ama nitamzika vipi,” he said, recalling the financial and emotional strain.

Charles Bibo, Jane’s father, also spoke of the hardship.

“Ile hali tumepitia imekuwa ngumu sana. Mpaka ilikuwa tumeshainua mkono. Kwa sababu tulijaribu sana tangu tuanze,” he said.

The family’s struggle was worsened by the disappearance of the agent who had facilitated Jane’s travel to Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Advocate Alex Manzo highlighted the wider problem.

“Ingekuwa si agent, uyu ndugu asingeateseka namna ile vile alivyoateseka, lakini walimwacha akangaika pamoja na familia na hatimaye mwili wa Jeni ukazikwa Saudi Arabia,” he said, referring to Jane’s suffering due to fake recruitment networks.

Manzo said there has been a surge in fake recruitment agents abandoning Kenyan workers, particularly in Arab countries. The agents often promise jobs abroad but disappear once the workers are overseas, leaving families in distress.

Families demand repatriation, protection

Meanwhile, five other families are seeking the repatriation of relatives buried in Saudi Arabia. Human rights groups and advocates have called on the Kenyan government to urgently review and strengthen laws governing overseas employment to better protect Kenyans working abroad.

The government has previously warned about the dangers of fake overseas jobs. Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Minister Musalia Mudavadi revealed that unscrupulous networks target Kenyans with false adverts and dangerous assignments.

Some victims were misled into handling chemicals, assembling drones, or working in conflict zones. Others were forced into online scamming, illegal cryptocurrency trading, and other criminal activities.

“These crimes, in addition to illegal drug production and trafficking, as well as trafficking in wildlife products, present a serious threat to not only the national security of Kenya but global security as well,” Mudavadi said in November 2025.

The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs advises Kenyans seeking employment abroad to use accredited recruitment agencies. Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua also warned against travel on tourist visas for work, urging people to demand written contracts, verify employers, and avoid paying large sums upfront.