Malcolm Bidali, a Kenyan who used to work in Qatar as a security guard, has narrated the poor working conditions he and other migrants, including those who constructed the stadiums that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, experienced.
According to Bidali, they were subjected to poor working conditions and had no freedom.
"Working conditions in Qatar are similar to slavery. You find yourself in a situation that is very difficult to come out of, where someone basically owns you.
"Someone decides very big aspects of your life, from what time you wake up to what time you go to sleep, what type of food you eat, where you live, who you associate with," he told AFP.
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He further claimed that some of the workers were denied their salaries while others perished.
"Saying that I won't watch the World Cup would be a lie.
"But looking at the stadiums, I can't help but wonder how many people have not been paid, how many have suffered terrible working conditions, and how many have lost their lives," ended Bidali.
Bidali, who traveled to Qatar in 2016 divulged that he used to earn an estimated $420 (approximately Ksh51,000) per month for monitoring CCTV cameras for a period of 12 hours a day.
The 30-year-old also alleged that he was detained by law enforcement officers on May 4, 2021, and denied the right to have a lawyer.
According to him, the conditions inside the holding cell were so dire to an extent that he lost track of time as the tiny room only had a permanent light.
Malcolm disclosed that he was released after protests from the professional footballer's union and Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
However, the Qatari officials did not let him free just like that - Bidali was ordered to pay a whopping fine of $6,000 ( approximately Ksh 733,000).
With less than a week remaining until the historic tournament, the Gulf nation has come under heavy criticism for treating migrant workers badly.
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