Nine Kenyan nationals, who were allegedly duped by a fake recruiting agent, are now stranded in the Kingdom. “These nine Kenyan men were brought into the Kingdom on e-visas on the idea that they could obtain employment after their arrival; unfortunately, e-visas are strictly for visiting only and cannot be changed to work visas,” Marietta Dias, Chairperson of Migrant Workers Protection Society, Bahrain said.
The men, Dias said, have now overstayed their visas by three months and suffered enormous hardships. “They now don’t have the financial means to get themselves back to Kenya.” “Their overstay fines alone are well in excess of BD250/- each, at the rate of BD50/- per month. “A one-way ticket to Kenya is approximately BD150/- per person.
“So far, with the help of benefactors from religious institutions and remittances from their already impoverished families back home, only three men have been able to leave Bahrain with two other men in detention and while the rest four waiting for a way to exit the Kingdom,” Dias said.
