Kenya Diaspora Workers Now Face Mandatory Welfare Levy

Kenya Diaspora Workers Now Face Mandatory Welfare Levy

The Ministry of Labour has proposed that all Kenyans working abroad must contribute to a State welfare scheme called the Kenya Migrant Workers Welfare Fund.

The plan aims to extend help to overseas migrant workers in the form of relief packages, medical aid, invalidity benefits, and survivor benefits in the event of demise. Before leaving the country for foreign employment, every migrant worker must register as a member of the fund. Additionally, fees paid by private employment agencies will be directed to the fund. The rate of contribution by each migrant worker will be determined by forthcoming regulations.

If the Diaspora Workers Fund is approved, Kenya will follow the lead of other countries like the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan which have similar programs already. Sri Lanka, for example, has an Overseas Workers Welfare Fund that covers all expenses related to assisting the country's migrant workers and their families. This fund offers a mandatory insurance scheme, repatriation costs for migrant workers, scholarships for children, loan schemes with partner banks that cover migrants' re-departure costs and the establishment of self-employment schemes.

A chairman appointed by President William Ruto will lead the board in managing the fund which aims to support the well-being of Kenyan migrant workers. Shem Ochuodho, the global chairman of the Kenya Diaspora Alliance says that many migrant workers would appreciate any effort to support their well-being. The Ministry of Labour approximates that Kenya has almost four million migrant workers, primarily in North America, Europe, the Middle East, the Gulf region, and Australia.

According to the Central Bank of Kenya's survey on diaspora remittances, a vast number of Kenyans leave the country in search of job opportunities or to pursue higher education. Among the most popular destinations for Kenyan migrants are the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Canada.
 

Comments

Kenyan Bear (not verified)     Fri, 09/08/2023 @ 11:37am

Count me out. My hard-earned cash won't be eaten by some shameless thieving UDA official. NEVER! They can't even give people passports that they paid for ruining people's lives, and now they want our money. Join me in saying NO!
Let them first refund Uasin Gishu students their money that they conned them in the name of scholarship schemes.

Menye (not verified)     Fri, 09/08/2023 @ 12:30pm

Drs.Susan Musyoka,Gitau Njenga,Lukoye Atwoli & Co.should examine those targeting my money to pay useless governors,senators and hundreds of nominated prostitutes.None of them is proposing to make Mombasa Rd duel carriage or digging dams in readiness of ELININO RAIN.All they know is additional holidays,counties,constituencies and nominating more harlots.

Mlandizi (not verified)     Fri, 09/08/2023 @ 03:20pm

My God!, Professor Manyora has described Kenya on many occasions as a Dirty, Poor, Third World country run by thieves. I think we all need to have T-shirts that state that.

mama watoto (not verified)     Fri, 09/08/2023 @ 03:35pm

For forty years I have toiled. Why in God's name should I toil for thieves in Kenya? I will remain an American citizen. Keep you Kenyan citizenship.

Willys (not verified)     Sun, 10/01/2023 @ 09:25pm

In reply to by mama watoto (not verified)

@mamawatoto - can you please adopt me? I would rather pass my taxes to you instead of putting my money into some thuggish scheme to enrich Ruto and that shithole company of damn losers! Please excuse me for cursing @mamawatoto! But the mere suggestion by some skirt that I put my money in some shitty fund just pieced me off!

SimamaImara (not verified)     Fri, 09/08/2023 @ 03:52pm

Encroaching too far. As I said before the best gift they can give diaspora is find em and secure massive land in every town so they can build housing to live in and lease to prevent brokers who've Conned em.

Mūndūmūgo (not verified)     Fri, 09/08/2023 @ 11:06pm

Sounds like another cash grab scheme. Count me out, I won't register and I damn sure won't pay any welfare fund to fund Ruto and that little idiot from Mathīra. In due time, I'll receive a pension, 401k and SSI coming to me and for the life of me can't figure out what the welfare fund would add to my life - to my brother from Tigoni, this is why I won't need to bother with chickens, eggs and dairy cows. I plan to spend much time in the 254 since my money goes farther there.

MakOnyango (not verified)     Sat, 09/09/2023 @ 12:27am

Excuse me? I know people who work double shifts as CNAs and hardly enjoy a day off and are expected to support political thieves and the ever-begging, unappreciative, chronic lying relatives in Kenya? I will remain a US citizen.

Keflex (not verified)     Sat, 09/09/2023 @ 06:02am

I guess the math is not adding up for this thieving government to fill their fat bellies!!
They’ve taxed everyone dry, introduced fees on MPesa transactions, fuel, and everything else, and are inflating prices of construction materials in the guise of “building houses for the poor!”
Now they want hard-working diaspora folks hard-earned cash!!
Nothing is enough for these thieves!
We had 2 kinds of thieves to pick from in the 2022 elections!
1. The thieves that come to your house, take all your valuables, but don’t cause you or your family any bodily harm!
2. Those that break into your house, take everything, and break what they can’t take, then beat you and your family up (that you have to spend weeks in the hospital!), and still kill your dog and cat on their way out!
Unfortunately for us, we picked number 2!!

Mugo (not verified)     Sat, 09/09/2023 @ 04:48pm

In 254 anything with the word scheme in it, is always a scam. 🙅🏾‍♂️🙆🏿‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️

AbolishOfficeO… (not verified)     Sun, 09/10/2023 @ 10:34pm

Governments of thieves a.k.a Government of Kenya needs to be abolished.
That den of thieves is shameless.

What is Kenya?

Africa is one country.

MtuwaWatu (not verified)     Mon, 09/11/2023 @ 01:24am

How times have changed. Nani hao wa diaspora walikuwa wanabweka UDA Ruto na Gachagua???? Hebu tingiza mikia tuwaone🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Romeo23 (not verified)     Mon, 09/11/2023 @ 07:36am

I love this comment @Keflex

1. The thieves that come to your house, take all your valuables, but don’t cause you or your family any bodily harm!
2. Those that break into your house, take everything, and break what they can’t take, then beat you and your family up (that you have to spend weeks in the hospital!), and still kill your dog and cat on their way out!
Unfortunately for us, we picked number 2!!

Anonymous (not verified)     Mon, 09/11/2023 @ 10:30am

The only reason Kenyans in the Diaspora send money to their relatives in Kenya is due to mismanagement of Kenyan resources by our politicians. The only reason Kenyans remain in Diaspora is due to corruption and mismanagement of Kenya's resources.
The government should manage the resources in Kenya and provide employment to Kenyans at home.
Take care of home first and all will be well.
Those in the Diaspora take care of their own problems. Leave well enough alone.

Wesley (not verified)     Sun, 10/01/2023 @ 09:14pm

This is a lot of hogwash! How is the government going to carefully manage this fund if they cannot manage the taxes they collect from local Kenyans? Another way for Ruto to steal from those in the Diaspora!

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