Labour Cabinet secretary Ukur Yattani. FILE PHOTO | EVANS HABIL| NMG
Summary
- Labour secretary Ukur Yattani says all firms must comply with the new regulations.
- He says many firms at the Coast have not fully complied with the legal and policy framework, which has lead to the emergence of bogus recruitment agencies.
- The CS says workers will be subjected to a mandatory pre-departure training and verification of their contracts of employment before leaving Kenya.
Only 65 private companies are authorised to place Kenyans in
jobs abroad as government seeks to end mistreatment of workers abroad,
Labour secretary Ukur Yatani says.
Speaking when
ministry officials met owners of recruitment agencies at the Coast in
Mombasa, Mr Yatani said all firms must comply with the new regulations.
He
noted that many firms at the Coast have not fully complied with the
legal and policy framework, which has lead to the emergence of bogus
recruitment agencies.
“Agencies especially in Nairobi have fully complied with the regulatory framework but very little is said at the Coast.
"Those wishing to engage in recruitment must familiarise themselves with the new requirement and regulations,” Mr Yatani said.
The
CS said due to past challenges -- which resulted in a ban on export of
labour in September 2014 -- a task force was set up to review the
management of foreign employment.
It was to propose short, medium and long-term interventions to address challenges in the sector.
“In April 2016, the government lifted the ban on export of all categories except domestic and low skilled cadres.
"Any
engagement of this vulnerable group will only be allowed with countries
which have signed a bilateral agreement with Kenya,” Mr Yatani said.
Pre-departure training
The
CS said such workers will be subjected to a mandatory pre-departure
training and verification of their contracts of employment before
leaving Kenya.
“This will protect domestic and low
skilled cadres from any mistreatment, abuse or job scam. Job-seekers
should be informed of what they are signing up for and the conditions of
work abroad,” Mr Yatani insisted.
He said the
recommendations of the task force have been implemented by his ministry
and some of the accomplished control measures include the establishment
of the inter-ministerial vetting committee to vet registration of
private recruitment agencies.
“The committee has only approved and registered 65 private recruitment agencies to recruit and place Kenyan workers abroad.
"The
agencies have fully complied with the new regulatory framework. Migrant
workers must undergo mandatory pre-departure training to acquaint them
with the new environment,” the CS added.
Labour
ministry attaches have been posted to the Middle East, he said,
including to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to check on the welfare of
Kenyan workers, he added.
Hundreds of Kenyan migrant
workers are in the Middle East countries working as domestic workers,
cleaners, drivers, chefs among other cadres.
But many
who have returned home have told of mistreatment, torture and abuse by
their employers, with some blaming recruiting agencies for the
predicament.
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