NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 23 – Over 600 Kenyan citizens stranded in Cambodia have approached the High Court in Nairobi, seeking urgent orders to compel the government to evacuate and repatriate them immediately.
In a constitutional petition filed through lawyer Danstan Omari, the applicants claim they are trapped in Cambodia without resources to secure return flights and face possible arrest or detention if they do not leave the country by Saturday.
The petitioners describe a desperate situation, citing lack of food and proper shelter, untreated injuries and medical needs, confiscated passports and communication devices and exploitative working conditions, including 16-hour workdays and harsh penalties for non-performance
They allege they were recruited in Kenya by individuals posing as legitimate employment agents for jobs in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia.
After paying significant recruitment and travel fees, the Kenyans were allegedly transported to Cambodia without explanation and confined in guarded premises with high walls and barbed wire.
Following a Cambodian authorities’ raid, the petitioners say the operators of the scheme fled, leaving them stranded without shelter, income, or travel documents.
They also claim that outreach to the Kenyan Embassy has yielded minimal support.
The petition cites multiple constitutional and human rights breaches, including Articles 25, 28, 29, and 30 – freedom from torture, protection of human dignity, security, and freedom from forced labor and Articles 41, 43, 47, and 48 – fair labor practices, access to healthcare, housing, emergency medical treatment, and justice.
It also includes alleged failure by State organs to uphold the Bill of Rights and Kenya’s obligations under international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The petitioners argue that the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Directorate of Immigration Services, the Inspector General of Police, the Ministry of Internal Security, and the Attorney General have failed in their constitutional duty to safeguard Kenyan citizens abroad.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has been joined as an interested party.
The petitioners are requesting the High Court to direct the government to verify the identities and locations of all affected Kenyans in Cambodia and establish direct consular contact.
They also want the Directorate of Immigration Services to issue emergency travel documents for those without valid passports and facilitate and cover costs of emergency evacuation, including flights, transit, accommodation, and food, ideally within 48 hours.
The petitioners warn that without urgent judicial intervention, they remain at risk of arrest, detention, illness, and further exploitation in a foreign country.
The High Court is expected to issue directions on conservatory orders and schedule an urgent hearing.
