Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has announced plans for a new program to help Kenyans overcome challenges when taking up jobs abroad.
Mutua, while appearing before the Senate on Tuesday, May 6, answered several pressing questions, including the daunting issue of why sections of Kenyans were still in the country despite meeting all credentials to work overseas.
According to Mutua, job offers do not come from the government but from a broad range. The CS insisted that the government was merely the facilitator.
“There is a reason we went and recruited people. As a government, we do not offer; we facilitate,” Mutua told senators, clarifying that government-approved recruitment agencies handle the process and charge specific fees.
The CS further observed that sections of Kenyans who secured jobs overseas failed to travel because of several reasons, including a change of heart, difficulties in obtaining documentation, lack of funds for travel expenses, and even failing mandatory medical tests.
“The process started well; a number of people travelled. But I noticed there was a challenge because most people don’t have the resources,” Mutua added. To curb this issue, the CS confirmed efforts to tap into the Youth Fund to support job seekers.
In the past week, 130 individuals seeking jobs abroad emerged as beneficiaries from the Youth Fund program, which Mutua claims he pushed after talks with the Senate.
Further, the CS confirmed that the government is at the tail end of a pilot program under the Uwezo Fund, which will help at least 300 more Kenyans secure jobs abroad.
"I approached the President to see how we can utilise the Uwezo Fund. I am happy to report that we are at the tail end of another 300 youth being able to benefit from a pilot programme to take them out of this country," Mutua revealed on Tuesday.
While insisting his priority has been helping job seekers who had financial difficulties, Mutua added, "I will be announcing a new programme to go through the country because we have demands for people to be employed. With enough resources and the funds people are paying back, we can take people from every village and provide hope to many of our innocent and poor young men and women who just want to have a livelihood.”
The Labour CS has been in the spotlight in recent weeks after job seekers accused his ministry of overseeing the recruitment programme, which has left some in debt and without the promised jobs.
To those who paid processing fees but were yet to travel, the CS recently admitted that delays were inevitable, but it was well within the job seeker's right to demand a cashback when they have a change of heart or in the event of prolonged delays.
