By Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye
Zimbabwe’s speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda says he has negotiated for the repatriation of 32 women and girls who were trafficked to Kuwait under the guise of finding greener pastures but were later abused by locals.
In an exclusive interview with Studio7 Mudenda said he is set to return home with the women and girls Friday.
These women and girls are a tiny fraction of the hundreds of Zimbabwean females who were trafficked to Kuwait where some were turned into sex workers while others performed menial jobs.
A couple of agents in the country representing agents in Kuwait that recruited them have already appeared in court facing charges of human trafficking and are out on bail.
Mudenda said although the plight of the women and girls were not the main reason the delegation was in Kuwait, he seized the opportunity to make the situation right for the victims that have managed to run away from their employers and are now in a shelter.
“We discussed the issue of the girls and women extensively although it was not the major issue of our visit. It’s a matter that arose after my delegation had been briefed by our ambassador here in Kuwait and the narrative was very sad because it actually borders on criminality by characters in Zimbabwe and here in Kuwait who actually conned these young women with promises of some attractive employment only to be turned into some form of slavery and abuse,” said Mr Mudenda.
“I am happy to say that after our discussion with the acting prime minister of Kuwait who is also the minister of foreign affairs we agreed that the 32 be repatriated back to Zimbabwe and we are making necessary arrangements to ensure that by Friday we can go back with the 32 unfortunate souls back home,” added Mudeda.
Asked on at whose expense the women and girls would be repatriated, he said they were working with well-wishers both Kuwait and Zimbabwe to repatriate the group that is currently in a shelter after running away from their employers. Studio 7
