Want to leave Kenya? The grass is not always greener on the other side

Faith Murunga, a petitioner who claimed she went to Saudi Arabia as a house help and was burnt with hot water by her employer. [Courtesy, Standard]

Some of the news that made headlines this year were the viral videos of Africans sleeping in the streets of Canada. As the authorities in Canada faced a backlash from some quarters for neglecting the foreigners, they came out to defend themselves, saying that they were overwhelmed and that millions of dollars were required to accommodate them in hotels before they were regularised. Of course, everything had to be done fast to get rid of the public shame.

Meanwhile, in Kenya opinion was divided with some people saying that the suffering out there was only for a short while, and that it was a matter of time before the foreigners were fully absorbed and given the requisite documents for them to start working. Some Kenyans actually envied them and observed that it was better to suffer in the streets of Canada than in Kenya with current skyrocketing cost of living.