Kenyans seeking employment opportunities in foreign countries are facing hell on earth, some of the recruitment agencies have told MPs at a time the government is trying to tame rogue operators.
Topping the list of woes for the migrant workers is the re-emergence of deregistered employment agencies under new names. In the recent past the government has published names of agencies operating outside the law and those that have been deregistered.
Fraud, inflated medical tests, slow response to distress calls, leaving the deployed workers on their own, and delays at the embassies also make the list of hurdles giving individuals and families sending their kin abroad sleepless nights.
Officially, the government is working on sending workers to foreign countries in efforts to help reduce the unemployment pain as hundreds of thousands enter the job market annually upon graduation.
Before the Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare this week, the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK) and the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies (KAPEA) gave the MPs a long list of concerns dimming the labour export plans.
“This committee is deeply concerned about the welfare of our citizens who seek work abroad,” said Beth Syengo, the committee chairperson.
There have been growing complaints of exploitation, unethical recruitment, and weak co-ordination between State agencies and the private recruiters, turning the search for glory into a source of misery and hopelessness.
ASMAK chairperson Francis Wahome cited re-emergence of deregistered agencies, inordinate medical testing costs, fraud, and poor follow-up after deployment.
Arjuma Mwangala, KAPEA chairperson, listed bureaucracy at the embassies as a top barrier. “Our clients face impossible checklists and red tape. It discourages them from working with Kenyan agencies,” he said.
Some agency representatives reported cases of arrests and consular neglect in responding to distress calls, hurting efforts to adhere to procedures.
ASMAK secretary-general Monica Moema asked the government to harmonise oversight. “We’re regulated by NEA, but Foreign Affairs falls under another ministry. When problems arise abroad, we are left alone,” she said.
Senator Alexander Mundigi asked the National Employment Authority to enforce the law and clear protocols, saying “It feels like anyone can recruit.” He added: “The system is porous, and when things go wrong, the government is blamed.”
Senator Okong’o Omogeni said: “We need clarity. Who is recruiting legally, and who is cutting corners? That’s what the public wants to know.”
Syengo called for unity among recruitment agencies, saying they were all Kenyans. “If you want to be heard, speak with one voice. Consider forming a single federation,” she advised.
The Senate committee promised to engage NEA and the Ministry of Labour to propose a comprehensive legal and policy framework to ensure safe, ethical, and transparent labour migration.
