Nairobi, Kenya – Protests broke out in Kibera on Wednesday afternoon after residents marched to Kilimani demanding justice for a 54-year-old domestic worker who died under mysterious circumstances while at her employer’s residence.
The deceased, identified as Zaituni Kavaya, had been contracted for cleaning duties in Kilimani but never returned home. Her body was later found at the Nairobi City Mortuary, leaving her family and community in shock.
Chanting slogans and waving placards, demonstrators, mostly elderly men and women, marched from Kibera through Yaya Center to the apartment on Munga Road where Kavaya is believed to have died. They accused her employer of foul play and condemned what they termed the growing exploitation of domestic workers.
“We have come here to protest the death of one of our own. As a former domestic worker who has worked in eight countries, I did not expect such a thing to happen in Kenya,” one protester said. “These are things that have mainly been happening in Arab nations, where workers are thrown off buildings when they defend themselves.”
The protests came hours after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested five Sudanese nationals linked to Kavaya’s death. The suspects are currently being interrogated at Kilimani Police Station as investigations continue.
According to her daughter, Faith Kavaya, attempts to reach her mother by phone went unanswered on the fateful day. “I wanted to take tea to her, but she was unavailable,” Faith said. Later, she received a distressing call from a police officer directing her to Kilimani Police Station, where she was informed of her mother’s death.
Court documents suggest that the incident may have been linked to a dispute over missing cash. Police reports indicate Kavaya allegedly fell from the fifth floor of the building where she was working, but family members insist foul play was involved.
The incident has reignited calls for greater protection of domestic workers in Kenya, with activists pressing for stricter enforcement of labor rights and accountability in cases involving migrant or foreign employers.
As investigations proceed, residents of Kibera vowed to keep up pressure until justice is served.
