Cabinet Secretary (CS) of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Alfred Mutua has issued a public response regarding the plight of a Kenyan citizen stuck in Tanzania over an alleged false theft case.
In a statement shared via his official Twitter Account, Mutua affirmed that he had directed a team in Tanzania to investigate the issue and accord assistance where necessary.
"I have noted the online clip of Kenyan Frederick Omondi, who is being held in Tanzania. I have directed our TZ team to find out the whole story & to assist him. As I had said earlier, EVERY Kenyan who is outside Kenya will receive attention and support regardless of the situation," he wrote.
I have noted the online clip of Kenyan Frederick Omondi who is being held in Tanzania. I have directed our TZ team to find out the whole story & to assist him. As I had said earlier, EVERY Kenyan who is outside Kenya will receive attention and support regardless of the situation. pic.twitter.com/kSLafb5McA— Dr. Alfred N. Mutua (@DrAlfredMutua) November 1, 2022
Ouma's story
Fredrick Omondi Ouma caught the attention of Kenyans on Monday, October 31, 2022, after an audio clip of him sharing his troubles in Tanzania circulated online.
In the clip shared by content creator and film producer Abel Mutua, Omondi narrated how his quest to secure a better-paying job in Tanzania turned sour.
Ouma, who had relocated to Tanzania through an invitation by a hotel investor, Zachariah Hans Poppe- started off his path to greener pastures on a high note after he was employed as a hotel manager.
At the peak of his career, which oversaw the construction of multimillion projects, Ouma had risen to the highest ranks of his career. All went well till the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
With the pandemic affecting the hospitality industry, business became slower. However, things worsened after Ouma's boss contracted the virus and lost his life.
"My boss contracted Corona-Virus and died. He was buried in Iringa in September 2021," Ouma recalled.
Weeks after, Ouma was entangled in constant fights with his boss's last-born son over the alleged theft of construction materials.
He said he sought help from the project manager, who asked him to brush things off because his perpetrator was 'probably just grieving.'
"I was accused of being responsible for the loss of materials from the construction site, and when I complained to the project manager, he told me to ignore it because the complainant was probably just grieving," he stated.
Following the constant misunderstandings and arguments with the late boss's son, Ouma resolved to quit his job at the hotel and invest in a pharmacy.
The joys of investing in a business did not last long since Zachariah's son followed up with Ouma and took over the pharmacy.
Ouma arrested
After the constant attacks, Ouma relocated to Dar es Salaam where he started over with a new job as an HR manager in a logistics company.
Two months after, he was arrested over the alleged theft of Ksh25million.
"After about two months, cops came to where I was working and accused me of stealing Ksh 25 million," Ouma recalled.
He recounted that the officers continuously created new 'non-existence' cases to keep him locked up in police cells.
Ouma further recalled that his passport was confiscated, creating further problems for him. The court continuously adjourned his case on the ground that 'investigations were not complete,' making it harder for him to seek justice and move to return home.
"They are ensuring I can't raise legal fees, I can't get a lawyer, afford a house, or feed myself," he lamented.
