Catherine Wambui’s dream of finding better opportunities abroad turned into a nightmare when her quest for work led her to a maximum-security prison in Iraq.
Wambui, who left Kenya in 2020 for a two-year contract as a house manager in Iraq, found herself imprisoned far from home, enduring a harrowing experience that lasted four months.
In an interview with Kenyans.co.ke, Wambui detailed the series of unfortunate events that led to her confinement.
After completing her initial contract in 2022, Wambui sought to return to Kenya as previously agreed.
However, her employer forced her to extend her stay, a demand Wambui refused due to her deteriorating mental health and desire to go home.
Despite her preparations to leave and the employer’s initial support, the situation took a drastic turn when he insisted she pay for her own return ticket, a requirement she could not meet.
Wambui’s passport was confiscated, leaving her stranded. Desperate to return to Kenya, she sought help at the Iraq immigration department, as there was no Kenyan embassy in the country.
Instead of facilitating her return, the authorities handed her over to the Iraqi police, who took her for medical tests and promised she would be released within three days once her passport was returned.
However, Wambui’s hopes were dashed when she was unexpectedly taken to a maximum-security prison.
“I started having premonitions I was being taken to prison when I saw the vehicle approaching a building surrounded by barbed wire,” she recounted.
The prison conditions were dire; she was housed in a cramped space with over 100 inmates and minimal facilities. The overcrowding and lack of basic amenities made the environment unbearable.
Her ordeal began to ease towards the end of Ramadan in 2023 when some detainees were released. Wambui’s parents managed to wire funds for her plane ticket, allowing her to finally return home.
