When Catherine Adhiambo, 43, left for Saudi Arabia on September 16, 2024, to work as a domestic worker, she hoped it would uplift her family, but seven months later, she is dead under mysterious circumstances.
Now, her family in Siaya is devastated, especially since she died barely two days after raising the alarm that her life was in danger.
On April 14, 2025, Ms Adhiambo, the sole breadwinner for her four children whom she had left in her mother’s care, frantically contacted her brother, Byron Obara, and a friend, only identified as Trizzah.
In voice notes sent to them, which Nation obtained, Adhiambo’s shivering voice and frequent sniffles revealed deep distress.
She was concerned about her employer’s decision to transfer her to another unknown household. She added that her employer, identified as Jehan Musa Issa Al-Hosawi, had returned home angry and demanded her ID and a burner phone she had bought for her.
“Before I gave her my ID and the phone, I asked her for my passport but she told me I am being taken to another employer and she should be given back her money. I do not know which money she was talking about because I was not given any cent, maybe she gave it to the agent who brought me here,” Ms Adhiambo told her brother.
She refused to be transferred, telling her brother that her consent was mandatory.
“I have never seen such a thing in my life. I am frustrated. I do not know where my fate lies. I am in a foreign country,” she lamented.
“I do not know what is going on, what will I do if I wake up and I am told I am being taken to another employer? The lady (her agent) who brought me here should help me speedily because she is the one who received the money, not me. (Sniffles),” she said.
Catherine Eddner Adhiambo who died in Saudi Arabia on April 16, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
Her employer demanded she pays 10,000 Saudi Riyals (approximately Sh345,500), an amount she couldn’t raise on her 900 SAR (Sh31,180) monthly salary.
In her final voice note to her brother, she warned again.
“Byron, things are not good, this woman (her employer) wants to play some games with me!” she said amidst sniffles.
That was the last time her family heard from her. On April 16, 2025, Adhiambo reportedly died of cardiac arrest, according to a medical report seen by Nation. Her family, however, disputes this report, calling it a sham due to glaring inconsistencies. Although Adhiambo was a 43-year-old Kenyan woman, the report listed her as a 61-year-old Saudi national and at times, even describing her as a boy.
“All these mistakes point to a simple truth. Someone is lying. The Saudi Arabian government knows what killed Adhiambo but they do not want to tell us the truth. No medical doctor would make such grave errors in a serious medical document showing a patient’s cause of death,” said Mr Jacob Otieno, her uncle.
Mr Otieno said the family lacks the funds to bring Adhiambo’s body home and is engaging her recruitment agent and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for help.
A letter drafted by Nyakio Recruitment Limited, the agency that sent Adhiambo to Saudi Arabia, was addressed to the Director of Diaspora and Consular Affairs at the ministry. Dated April 21, 2025, the letter is titled “Assistance to repatriate the body of Catherine Eddner Adhiambo…”
It details her deployment, employer, and the agency’s Saudi counterpart, Khaled Drewesh Aldrewesh Recruitment Office.
“We have not received a complete medical report indicating cause of death despite constantly asking for an official report…we will appreciate your assistance on the above matter,” wrote Medrine Wanjeri on behalf of Nyakio Recruitment Limited.
When contacted, Ms Wanjeri said she was informed of Adhiambo’s death on April 18 and had notified the family. She added that she was working with partners in Saudi Arabia and the Kenyan authorities to repatriate the body.
However, Mr Otieno said they have not received any communication from the Riyadh-based agency as alluded to in the letter.
A senior official at the State Department for Diaspora Affairs confirmed the government was investigating Adhiambo’s case.
The Nation also reached out to the Saudi Arabian embassy in Kenya seeking to know whether this matter has been brought to its attention, if it had contacted the Kenyan government over the same and if it had an official statement regarding the case. The embassy had not responded by the time of going to press.
This mystery death once again revives the sad experiences of Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia that were the subject of a parliamentary petition in 2021.
