By: Cynthia Soita
I ask myself this often: when did we normalise the dehumanisation of domestic workers?
I think about it deeply because I once worked as a house help. My boss would playfully call me a “house manager,” a soft phrase wrapped around a job that paid far too little to match the title. It was her way of protecting my dignity—something many domestic workers never receive. And because I also grew up in a home where my mother employed house helps, working and eventually being served has given me a balanced perspective on this issue.
Across the country, countless young women arrive in Nairobi with hope after being promised decent pay, only to endure long days, withheld salaries, and abrupt dismissals that strip them of both security and dignity. Others travel to the Middle East seeking better opportunities, yet return with stories of confiscated passports, endless workdays, abuse, or tragedies too painful to put into words.
Domestic work happens behind closed doors—inside private bedrooms, kitchens, and nurseries—far from public oversight. That invisibility makes it one of the easiest jobs to exploit, while leaving workers with almost no proof, no witnesses, and often no voice.
Why does a role so essential remain one of the most vulnerable forms of labour in our society?
In many countries—Kenya included—domestic workers are undervalued because:
Their work happens inside homes, not public workplaces.
They come from economically vulnerable backgrounds.
Their role is associated with “women’s unpaid care,” so society assumes it requires no skill.
Families justify low pay because they “provide food and accommodation.”
Their work is seen as “help,” not professional employment.
Abuse is easy to hide, deny, or mask behind “family conflicts.”
The irony?
The same employees who complain about toxic workplace culture often go home and create toxicity for their house helps and watchmen.
The Employment Act 2007 covers domestic workers fully:
Section 41 – Right to due process before termination
Section 43 – Employer must give valid reasons for termination
Section 45 – Termination must be substantively and procedurally fair
Section 35 – Right to notice pay
Section 28 – Right to annual leave
Wages Order (Regulation of Wages 2017) – Sets minimum wages for cooks, house helps, gardeners, and watchmen
NSSF + NHIF – Employers should remit contributions
Housing allowance – Mandatory unless housing is provided
Domestic workers are also eligible for written contracts, off days, overtime pay, and severance pay where applicable.
Most domestic workers:
Have no written contracts, making legal enforcement difficult.
Are dismissed instantly, often at night.
Experience verbal abuse, sometimes physical assault.
Are overworked due to undefined job descriptions.
Have no privacy or personal space.
Are paid far below minimum wage.
Fear reporting violations due to poverty and unemployment.
Are told that food and accommodation are “privileges”—not statutory benefits.
Even gate men, gardeners, and cleaners face similar vulnerability, with employers switching them out casually, denying basic rights, or underpaying them without consequence.
Most domestic workers accept mistreatment because they have families depending on them. Some are single parents, others graduates unable to find formal employment. When survival is the priority, rights become a luxury.
Employers control:
Access to shelter
Access to food
Salary
Freedom of movement
This imbalance makes exploitation easy.
Unlike corporate workplaces, there are no colleagues to witness abuse.
Children grow up seeing house helps:
Eating separately
Sleeping on the floor
Working late
Being scolded publicly
And they internalize this as normal.
In the Middle East:
Passports are confiscated.
Work hours stretch 14–18 per day.
Legal systems favor employers.
Workers cannot easily leave abusive homes.
But surprisingly, in countries like Canada or Australia, domestic workers often experience:
Better written contracts
Clear labor protections
Access to agencies
Minimum wage enforcement
Freedom to leave unsafe workplaces
The difference lies in state accountability, stronger unions, and public awareness.
Domestic workers enter intimate spaces—our bedrooms, kitchens, nurseries. This closeness creates risk for both sides.
Not all domestic workers are perfect.
Some:
Steal
Mistreat children
Sleep with spouses
Misuse household resources
But no workplace—private or public—allows inhumane treatment in response to misconduct.
Just as companies handle theft through procedural fairness, employers should also act lawfully toward domestic workers. Abuse is never an acceptable form of discipline.
Yes—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania formally recognise domestic workers in employment and wages legislation.
But enforcement remains weak due to:
Low literacy
Weak labor inspections
Cultural beliefs that domestic work is “small work”
Underreporting of abuse
Fear of job loss
Thus, laws exist—but remain on paper.
To maximize the spirit of the Employment Act (EAT) and bring dignity to domestic work, Kenya should:
Enforce mandatory written contracts for all household workers.
Establish county-level domestic labour inspectors.
Create safe reporting channels for live-in workers.
Require employers to undergo basic training on domestic worker rights.
Set up standard employment templates in Swahili and English.
Mandate minimum off-days, overtime limits, and adequate housing.
Penalize employers for night-time evictions.
Regulate recruitment agencies, especially those sending workers abroad.
If we truly value dignity, are we ready to confront how we treat those who serve in our homes?
From where I stand—having lived both as a house help and as an employer’s child—I believe meaningful change requires:
A shift in mindset: domestic work is work, not charity.
Employers learning to balance caution with compassion.
Domestic workers receiving contracts, fair pay, and rest like any other worker.
Better enforcement of existing laws.
More public awareness campaigns about domestic worker rights.
I believe that when we create homes where dignity is mutual, we raise children who understand humanity better—and we build a country where invisible workers finally become visible.
1. Are domestic workers entitled to written contracts in Kenya?
Yes. The Employment Act requires written contracts for employees working continuously for over 3 months, including house helps and watchmen.
2. Can a domestic worker sue for unfair termination without a contract?
Yes. Even without a written contract, oral contracts are still valid under the Employment Act. Courts can award compensation for breaches.
3. Are employers required to give off days to domestic workers?
Yes. Kenyan domestic workers are legally entitled to one rest day per week and annual leave, just like any other employee.
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