Women Escape Slavery in Kuwait

ABOUT 40 Zimbabwean women who fell victim to human trafficking syndicates in Kuwait have escaped and arrived back home.

They are among 200 women allegedly duped by former Kuwait diplomat in Zimbabwe, Ahmed Al-Jeeran, with the promise of lucrative jobs in his country.

The whereabouts of the other women could not be ascertained.

A delegation of ministers and the victims' family members received the escapees in Harare.

Women Escape Slavery in Kuwait

Businessman Wicknell Chivayo and Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) President, Phillip Chiyangwa, paid for the flights of the women after the government failed to raise $12 000 (about R180 000) to enable them leave Kuwait.

Zimbabwe's Speaker of National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, confirmed the women had arrived aboard Emirates Airlines.

"They (victims) had to escape. They brought nothing but their bodies back home since they had to escape from their employers, leaving everything behind in Kuwait," Mudenda said.

He could not be drawn into revealing how the victims escaped but mentioned the women were in bondage and slavery in the Middle East country since 2014.

He said the victims would first of all undergo psychological evaluation and health screening before being released to their families.

Mudenda said the government would take drastic measures against the perpetrators of human trafficking, including the former Kuwait diplomat who once lived in Zimbabwe.

There was no immediate comment from Kuwait's High Commission in Harare.

Millions of Zimbabweans have fled economic challenges and sought greener pastures around the world.

A significant number has over the years been lured to the oil-rich countries in the Middle East.

In Kuwait, the women were reportedly turned into sex slaves and housemaids.

Money due to them was reportedly paid to syndicates.