Nairobi — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says at least 316 Kenyans have died in the Gulf States since 2002.

Appearing before the Senate plenary Wednesday morning, Mudavadi indicated that the government is negotiating with the countries to improve working conditions.

"The records we have show that the total number of Kenyans who have lost their lives in the Gulf region is 316," he said.

The states include Saudi Arabia with 166 deaths, Qatar 58, UAE 51, Iraq 25, Bahrain 10, Kuwait 6, while Oman and Iran have zero deaths.

He further stated that Kenya will establish safe houses in the Gulf to shelter migrant workers in distress before they are repatriated.

Mudavadi disclosed that Kenya is in the process of negotiating 19 memorandum of understanding.

He said the move is part of a multifaceted approach to end the plight of Kenyan migrant workers in the Middle East covering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arap Emirates.

Mudavadi had earlier informed Senators that out of the more than 416,000 Kenyans working in the Gulf states 316 have died since 2022.

Temporary Speaker Veronica Maina directed the Mudavadi to furnish the House with the identities of the Kenyans working in the Gulf and indicate the work they have been employed to do.