Eight Kenyan workers remain detained in Benghazi, Libya, more than six weeks after their arrest on March 21. Their families are appealing for urgent government help to secure their release.
The men were arrested after demanding unpaid wages for two to three months of work. Monica Wanjiru, a Kenyan in Libya, explained that a language barrier between the workers and Arabic-speaking employers and security led to a misunderstanding.
Police reportedly beat and detained the group at a Benghazi detention centre. The detainees, named as John Okutoi, Victor Gathua, Paul Njehia, Kenneth Wanjehia, Kevin Riguini, Juma Njira, James Opiyo and Collins Koech, now face assault charges in court.
The workers arrived in Libya in December 2025 through agencies based in Kenya, Uganda and Dubai. Families have criticised the agencies for taking large fees without providing support and are calling on the Kenyan government to intervene, noting the absence of a Kenyan embassy in Libya.
