Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) boss Francis Atwoli has voiced concerns about President Uhuru Kenyatta's project to give paid internships to graduates in government agencies.
Atwoli warned that the project could lead to exploitation in the public and private sector when the graduates were to be officially employed.
"The internship programme for graduates has a negative effect on the public sector hiring systems and will spill into the private sector.
“If the government wishes to employ graduates, it should not hide under titles such as internship. This is mere contracting of civil servants that is against the principles of employment outlined in the Labour Relations Act, 2007, Employment Act, 2007 and other laws," Atwoli warned.
He claimed that the programme's negative effects were already being felt at the Kenya Youth Employment Opportunities Project (KYEOP) and the Teachers Service Commission.
[caption caption="COTU boss Francis Atwoli"]
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KYEOP recently put out an advertisement for paid internships lasting 12-18 months.
Atwoli disclosed that a similar programme by TSC had stringent conditions whose implication on wages and contracts had been ignored.
"The terms and conditions of employment under all these programmes are not well stipulated," he said.
"Despite giving opportunities to fresh graduates there is no guarantee of employment after completion of internship programmes," Atwoli noted.
Atwoli explained that the interns[caption caption="Francis Atwoli"]
[/caption]hip programme was a new form of contracting, describing it as 'cruel and unnaceptable'.
