Kenya to engage Saudi Arabia over woman sentenced to 100 lashes

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei. [File, Standard]

Kenya is engaging Saudi Arabia to find a solution for a 40-year-old Kenyan woman sentenced to 100 lashes for giving birth outside wedlock, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei has said.

The case, first reported by The New York Times, involves Esther Wanja Muthoni, who has been unable to leave Saudi Arabia despite efforts to return to Kenya with her one-year-old son.

In a post on X, Sing’oei said the government would engage its Saudi counterparts to resolve what he described as a complex legal situation.

“Saddened by what would constitute ‘cruel and inhuman’ punishment under our jurisdiction, but respectful of the sovereignty of Saudi legal system,” the PS said.

“We shall continue to work with our counterparts on these complex arenas of judicial enforcement.”

According to the NYT, Muthoni was working as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia when she became pregnant by an Egyptian man who later left the country.

Her son was denied a birth certificate, a document that would have helped facilitate their return to Kenya.

The news agency reported that the Kenyan embassy had repeatedly ignored Muthoni and other women facing similar circumstances, with some allegedly being asked for bribes or sexual favours in exchange for assistance.

Muthoni was living on the streets when a 2025 NYT report prompted Maharah Human Resources, the company that had taken her to Saudi Arabia, to intervene and provide shelter.

The Kenyan embassy later issued travel documents for her and her son. However, she could not leave because her case was still pending. She was subsequently found guilty of having sex outside marriage.

Although she was provided with a translator during the proceedings, she did not receive legal representation, according to the report.

Sex outside marriage is a criminal offence in Saudi Arabia. Countries including the United Kingdom warn their citizens about the risks of travelling to the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia announced in 2020 that it would abolish flogging as a judicial punishment following years of criticism.

Muthoni’s sentence, however, raises questions about the implementation of that pledge, as flogging remains associated with certain offences.

In November 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the challenges faced by undocumented children born in Saudi Arabia.

The ministry said it had collected 707 DNA samples and engaged the Saudi government, which facilitated the return of 59 Kenyan mothers and 73 children after issuing emergency travel documents.

It also reported that about 500 victims had been repatriated to Kenya since 2022, while 600 rogue foreign employment agencies had been deregistered.