Eight Kenyans Held in Libya After Salary Dispute as Families Plead for State Intervention
Eight Kenyan nationals have reportedly been detained in Benghazi, Libya, for more than six weeks after a workplace dispute linked to unpaid salaries escalated into arrests, with distraught families now calling on the Kenyan government to urgently intervene.
The workers are said to have been arrested on March 21 following a confrontation with employers over wages allegedly withheld for between two and three months. Relatives and fellow Kenyans in Libya claim language barriers worsened the situation, eventually leading to police involvement and criminal charges.
According to Monica Wanjiru, a Kenyan based in Libya who has been assisting the affected families, the workers had attempted to demand payment for work already completed when tensions erupted.
“The Kenyans had a misunderstanding at work due to a language barrier. Security could not understand English, while the Kenyans could not understand Arabic. They were asking for their money for work done over two to three months without pay,” Wanjiru said.
She further alleged that security officers and police responded forcefully to the incident.
“Police were called to the scene, where the workers were beaten before being arrested. They are now being held in a detention centre in Benghazi,” she claimed.
The detained Kenyans have been identified as John Okutoi from Kakamega, Victor Gathua and Paul Njehia from Nakuru, Kenneth Wanjehia and Kevin Riguini from Nyeri, Juma Njira and James Opiyo from Mombasa, and Collins Koech from Kapsabet.
One of the detainees reportedly informed relatives that they had already appeared before a court in Libya, where cases accusing them of assaulting security officers had been opened.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the plight of Kenyans seeking employment abroad, particularly in unstable regions where labour protections and diplomatic support remain limited.
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Families say the men travelled to Libya in December 2025 through Egypt after allegedly securing jobs via recruitment agents operating in Kenya, Uganda and Dubai. However, relatives now accuse some of the agencies of abandoning the workers after receiving substantial sums of money.
Several family members have described the men as victims of exploitation and fraud rather than criminals, insisting they were only demanding wages owed to them.
“We are pleading with the government to help secure the release of the detained Kenyans so they can return home and their families can have peace,” Wanjiru appealed.
The families have also criticised what they describe as a lack of response from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, saying repeated attempts to seek assistance have yielded little progress.
“We have tried to reach out to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs but received no assistance, and there is no Kenyan embassy in Libya,” she added.
The case is likely to intensify scrutiny on foreign labour recruitment agencies amid rising complaints from Kenyans stranded, abused or detained abroad after taking up jobs promised through private brokers.
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