A Kenyan family from Murang’a county is being held in Dubai over KSh 1.5 million rent arrears. Mwaura Muteria’s family is now seeking government’s help to have their confiscated passports released after their plea for leniency from Dubai authorities fell on deaf ears.
Muteria has been living in the Arab country with his family for the past 11 years as he worked for an organisation as a project manager. The organisation terminated his contract in 2016 but he continued staying in Dubai with the hope of securing another job which marked the beginning of his problems. Owing to financial challenges, the family defaulted on its rent in 2017 as cheques issued to the landlord bounced.
The landlord then filed a criminal case against Muteria while he was in Kenya and upon his return, he was arrested. “I pleaded guilty and prayed to be released against my passport so that I could look for a job and start paying the money owed to the landlord,” he said. “However, I have not been fortunate to get a job in the last three years,” the distraught man added.
He claimed to have received a job offer in January 2019 from an organization in Yemen and he is required to relocate there. But with his passport being held, Muteria is not able to travel. “Though we had paid part of our rent in cash, the landlord told me that all legal fees and the returned cheques must be paid in full before he withdraws the case and travel ban,” said Muteria.
“They are claiming about KSh 1.5 million (AED55,000). I have no ability to raise this amount and we are seeking assistance to offset the bill,” he added.
Muteria also said their residence visas are expiring on Thursday, February 28, which means they might be forced to pay immigration overstay fines unless they exit the country within seven days.