Government Drafts Bill to Protect the Welfare of Kenyans Working Abroad
The government has drafted a new bill seeking to protect the welfare of Kenyans working abroad.
The Labor Migration Management Bill 2021 is part of the government efforts to address the rising mistreatment of Kenyan migrant workers, especially those working in the Middle East.
Kenya’s Labor Ministry is keen on taming rogue private recruitment agencies that violate policies in sending workers overseas.
The new bill is awaiting input from various stakeholders before it is tabled in the Cabinet and Parliament for approval. It aims at strengthening the existing labor migration laws to offer more protection to migrant workers.
Appearing before the Senate Labor Committee, Labor Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui urged MPs to support the proposed legislation.
Chelugui noted that the ministry is working with stakeholders to design an oversight mechanism to more effectively monitor private hiring agencies to ensure they comply with ethical practices. The agencies will also be subjected to more regulations in order to enhance accountability.
“The ministry is in the process of reviewing the regulations of private employment agencies with a view to enhancing ethical recruitment and increase accountability,” said Chelugui.
“The regulations will, among others, address the issue of capital base, responsibilities of recruitment agencies during the labour migration cycle and code of conduct.”
In June, the government revealed plans to boost labor exports in a bid to increase Kenya’s diaspora remittances.
CS Chelugui said the number of Kenyans in the diaspora is currently estimated at four million but their remittance is below that of other African nations including Egypt, Nigeria, and Ghana.
He indicated that the focus is now on the export of skilled labor, which attracts better remuneration for Kenyan workers.
Comments (8)
"Enhancing ethical recruitment and increase accountability".Pure nonsense. Chelugui thinks the problems in Middle East and else can be solved by ethical recruitment? And when he say accountability what is he talking about? The plights of Kenyan worker's all over the world has been accounted for and is well documented. Many have died, many continue to suffer, many are treated as slaves etc...is that enough "accountability" Chelugui?
When you receive 12 bodies of workers who all died under mysterious circumstances ,in one week from Middle-East, the problem is not in Kenya, the problem is in the Middle East.
Kenyan need to stop going to the Middle East.
It’s a death trap.
Charity begins a Home. Anyway: This is one of the ways they want to make Easy money (in the name of Spending it on Diasporans' welfare). They should 1st take care of the poor Kenyans here in Kenya.
The government needs to protect Kenyans at home first. " Charity" begins at home. If you protect jobs at home, economy and our resources, Kenyans will have no need to leave the country and therefore will not need protection.
Total BS so it took all this people to die for this goons to draft this crap .seriously.
need plots diaspora we have been corned so many times we nee goverment structures coming up wit projects for diaspora
Good job to begin!, This should apply to many other NATIONS WHERE THEIR CITIZENS ARE GOING THOUGH SAME MISTREATMENT OUT THERE WHERE LIVES ARE NOT RESPECTED.
Aim to boost labor export? Are u trying govt neo slave trade now? Daily stolen sh2b x 10yrs=sh7.2T. That's enough to create employment for all. Father of corruption Uhuru and his assistant busy competing in theft