Kenya Introduces Tougher Rules as it Lifts Ban on Middle-East Jobs
Kenya has introduced tougher rules to guarantee safety for Kenyans traveling to Middle East to seek domestic jobs even as it halts the ban imposed four years ago.
The Ministry of Labour said that recruitment agencies must now make mandatory quarterly returns to the government on the individuals they have recruited within that duration, their personal information and next of kin.
The government further vetted and authorized 29 hiring agencies to recruit and place Kenyan workers abroad. “The agencies have duly complied with the new regulatory framework,” says the report by the Ministry of Labour.
Labor Secretary Phyllis Kandie said the vetting process included a registration fee of between Sh500,000 and Sh1.5 million as a bond to safeguard workers from mistreatment and that the cash can be used to buy them air tickets back home in case they encounter any difficulties while working outside Kenya.
Further, Kenya has also entered into a bilateral labor agreement with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, two of the major destinations for semi-skilled migrant Kenyan workers.
“A draft MoU on labour with United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also been initiated. Other bilateral labour agreements have also been initiated with the Oman, Lebanon, and Jordan. The overall objective is to sign bilateral labour agreements with all key labour destination countries,” says the report dated October 18th.
“The ministry has developed a national labour market information system which is set to be linked with the labour market information system for migrant workers and diaspora,” notes the report.
Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) through its secretary-general Francis Atwoli has however objected the lifting of the ban, arguing that Kenyans will still face harassment and mistreatment in Middle-East like was the case before a ban was imposed. “The decision is ill-advised as it will allow Kenyans to suffer and be killed in the two countries as was the case before the ban was introduced,” Atwoli said.
Comments (10)
Kenya is a CORRUPT Country with NO Strict Rules WHATSOEVER.
The government is BROKE, that is why. Remitances is what the gov't is depending on to boost the country's economy.
They need to have insurance that covers life, health & injuries at work that cannot be canceled until those domestic workers return to Kenya
Strongly agree.
Kenya needs a new government with different solutions.
This government of Jubilee has no new ideas. It is now attempting to recycle failed ideas.
These government needs to be replaced.
Same problem,same people,same ideas,same failures.
How much was this woman paid to do this. The Arabs have not changed and more Kenyans will continue to be mistreated and even killed.Why and this is the so called tano tena kazi iendelee party. Always out to make a quick buck never looking out for the ordinary mwanainchi.These unscrupulous agents will have a field day fleecing desparate kenyans with the promise of better paying jobs only for them to be exploited and mistreated.
Arabs are the Ishmalites; Slave Masters/ Slave Mistresses. But it seems the Government of Kenya had Signed a Cheap LABOR Supply Contract with Saudi Arabia; a Contract that won't end soon (lest with PENALTIES).
Yes Guest1, Cheap Labor,for them translates in to cheap human beings.
It is very unfortunate that our sisters and brothers have to go there and do Arabs' dirty work,and dont get respect.
Kazi ni kazi so they say,but why go that far to be humiliated.
Why cannt some of our fat cats go there and get some arabs to clean their houses.I am sure not all arabs are rich.
The worst part is Arab counties to date have no labour policies or laws, so impossible to prosecute and get justice. Arabs treat their workers like tissue paper, use them and trhow them away. Wembe ni ule ule.
Also they could have made sure this workers keeps their passport with them so they can come home anytime juu in most cases the boss keeps the passports!!Every country pple do shit work,harassed mentally if not physically but how I wish our gava could create more environments of its pple to either work,starts small biz.Having bin outside kenya for more than 10 yrs I appreciate my country more n more the time I came back.Yes kuna issues here n there which all the countries have but if ur determined n strong u will easily be confotable n relax in yr country.