A Kenyan based in Qatar was elated to meet Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, on Thursday, May 25, in the Middle East nation's capital, Doha.
The coastal Kenya resident, identified as Mubarak, explained that he worked in a nearby building. He, however, did not explain whether he was a contractor, project manager or worker.
While holding onto the CS's hand, Mubarak also recalled meeting President William Ruto during the 2013 campaigns, where he wished him well in his endeavours.
“I work in that building called Marina Tower as a storekeeper.
“I met the President in Bonje (Kilifi County) in 2013 and I shook his hand. I prayed for you that you win your case (at The Hague in Netherlands) together with Uhuru (President Uhuru Kenyatta (Rtd),” Mubarak stated.
With the government keen on sending more Kenyans to work abroad and invest back at home, Mubarak called upon more compatriots to join him in Qatar.
“I am so happy to meet our CS in Doha. I want people to come. Our economy will grow back to where it was,” he reiterated.
Kuria, on his part, noted that he was working to bring more Kenyans to work in the oil-rich Gulf state.
In Qatar, Kuria represented Kenya at the Qatar Economic Forum, which brought together various leaders from different countries worldwide. The CS, in his speech, invited entrepreneurs to invest in Kenya, touting the country's advancement in the digital arena as a key selling point.
“I invited the world to consider the numerous investment prospects in the food sector, green energy, and digital trade and take advantage of the opportunity to make Nairobi the regional financial centre.
“Over 2,000 business and government leaders are participating in this year’s Qatar Economic Forum as a global platform for dialogue on topics such as inflation, investment in emerging markets, transformation in energy, trade & other business areas,” Kuria noted.
According to official statistics by the Qatar government, there are over 30,000 Kenyans in Qatar. Most of them work in the security, construction, and hotel industries.
The question of frameworks guiding labour export has, however, always been a bone of contention in Kenya. The government has always been under pressure to explain reports of Kenyans being mistreated and measures set to curb such incidents.
Kenya and Saudi Arabia were among the nations that struck a deal on protecting immigrant workers in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, Foreign Affairs CS, Alfred Mutua asked Kenyans living in South Korea to advance their skills to assist grow Kenya's economy when they return home.
Mutua, who warned that there were no jobs back at home to offer the expatriates, later signed deals with several countries including the US and Canada, to open more doors for Kenyans abroad. However, he warned the expatriates to either obey the laws of foreign countries or fly back home.
