6 Egyptians seized as crackdown on illegal work permits intensifies

Six Egyptians are in police custody a day after the Kenyan Government announced that foreign workers without proper work permits should leave the country.

They were found in a rented house in Makongeni, Thika after residents became suspicious and informed the police.

Also Read: Gov’t suspends application of foreign workers permits within the country

“The six were found in a two-bedroom house and their status in the country is yet to be established,” Thika OCPD Willy Simba told Citizen Digital on phone.

The six are Ahmed Sayed (20yrs), Mohamed Radwan(25yrs), Maher Gamal (26yrs), Mohammed Assar(23yrs), Mustafa Abdelhamid(30yrs), and Samir Sabry (24yrs).

Simba added his officers are waiting for officials from the Immigration Department and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to verify their documents.

On August 15, two Egyptians were jailed for seven months for hawking without work permits.

Ahmed Nasr and Muhamed Hassan were found with 11 cooking pots which they were hawking to residents of Nyeri town.

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i on Friday ordered the immediate deportation of foreigners who do not have proper work permits.

The CS also suspended application of foreigners work permits on arrival in Kenya.

“If you have a job, or you have applied for a job to come to Kenya and work in a regional branch of an international company, you apply for a work permit from where you are,” Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said.

Only those whose applications for foreign workers permits have been processed will be allowed to come into the country for work.

Also Read: 15 Egyptians arrested in Kisumu