Kenyan Nurse in Saudi Arabia Goes Viral for Saving Colleague's Life Amid Ongoing Labour Abuse Outcries

Country: Saudi Arabia
Date Published: January 17, 2026

A Kenyan nurse working in Saudi Arabia has captured global attention on X (formerly Twitter) after a video of her performing an emergency life-saving procedure on a fellow migrant worker went viral, amassing over 500,000 views in just 48 hours. Posted by verified Kenyan influencer @MissMalindi on January 17, the clip shows 32-year-old Mercy Wanjiku from Nakuru calmly administering CPR and stabilizing a collapsing colleague in a Riyadh hospital corridor during a night shift. "This is the heart of our Kenyan diaspora—heroes in silence! #KenyansInSaudi #ProudlyKenyan," @MissMalindi captioned the post, which sparked thousands of retweets and celebratory replies from users like @K24Tv and regular diaspora accounts such as @NairobiDiaries_KE.

The story quickly trended under #MercyTheHero on X in Kenya and among East African communities, with positive reactions flooding in from verified news accounts like @CitiZenTVKenya, which shared: "Mercy Wanjiku embodies the resilience of Kenyans abroad. From saving lives to sending remittances home—salute! Posted Jan 17." Users praised her quick thinking, with one thread by @kenyandiplomat detailing how her actions prevented a fatal outcome, drawing comparisons to similar under-the-radar successes by Kenyan healthcare workers globally. Celebrities and influencers, including musician @SautiSolu, amplified the post, calling for her recognition by the Kenyan government, highlighting the positive contributions of the over 100,000 Kenyans estimated to be working in Gulf countries.

However, the viral moment also reignited heated discussions on the darker side of life for Kenyans in Saudi Arabia, blending triumph with controversy. Replies and quote-tweets poured in criticizing exploitative working conditions, with @GulfKenyanExpat sharing screenshots of recent complaints: "Mercy is a queen, but let's not forget the passport confiscations, unpaid wages, and abuse many face here. #EndKenyansAbuseInSaudi." A thread by @HumanRightsKE, posted the same day, linked to reports of at least five Kenyan domestic workers hospitalized for exhaustion in the past week, fueling calls for diplomatic intervention. Regular users like @MombasaHustler vented frustrations, noting, "We celebrate one win while dozens suffer—govt where are you? #JusticeForKenyansAbroad," turning the thread into a debate with over 2,000 comments.

As the conversation continues to rage on X into January 21, Kenyan embassy officials in Riyadh have acknowledged the incident, promising an investigation into broader welfare issues while commending Wanjiku. Netizens are now petitioning for her promotion and a national award, with a Change.org link shared widely garnering 10,000 signatures. This episode underscores the dual narrative of the Kenyan diaspora: extraordinary individual achievements overshadowed by systemic challenges, keeping the topic at the forefront of online discourse among the community.