Nairobi (Alshahid)-The hiring and exportation of domestic workers to the Middle East has been suspended by Kenyan government after rampant cases of abuse.

The country’s Foreign Affairs ministry is also vetting recruitment agents and will sign labor agreements with the countries involved to address the issues raised by Kenyans working in the Middle East.

Political and Diplomatic Secretary Patrick Wamoto said complaints received by the ministry include overwork, denial of food, not being paid, and an inability to communicate with their family back in Kenya.

His remarks come after increasing cases of Kenyans being brutally killed in Middle East while others come back home to report that they were mistreated by their employers.

Saudi Arabia – where around 3000 Kenyans are believed to be working – dispatched a team to Kenya earlier this year to discuss the problem.

Last year, Indonesia introduced a similar ban after a maid was executed in Saudi Arabia.