Government Calls for Stronger Protection of Kenyans Working Abroad

NAIROBI, Kenya Sept 17 – The government is calling for stronger protection of Kenyans seeking employment abroad amid concerns over fraudulent recruitment, human trafficking, wage violations and unsafe working conditions.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi says Kenya needs stronger recruitment systems, effective agreements with destination countries and better mechanisms for resolving disputes involving migrant workers.

Speaking in Nairobi during the fourth Employment and Labour Relations Annual Symposium and Exhibition, ELRASE Four, Mudavadi said Kenyans working abroad should be able to access justice regardless of where they are employed.

He said more than 540,000 Kenyans are currently working abroad, while remittances from the diaspora exceeded five billion US dollars in 2025.

Mudavadi said the government is promoting safe and orderly labour migration through initiatives including Kazi Majuu and bilateral labour agreements with destination countries.

However, he acknowledged that migrant workers continue to face challenges including exploitation, trafficking and difficulties accessing justice across borders.

Chief Justice Martha Koome is calling for stronger and more responsive justice systems to protect Kenyans working outside the country.

Koome said crossing an international border in search of employment should not mean losing the protection of the law.

In a speech delivered on her behalf by Supreme Court Judge Justice Dr Smokin Wanjala during the fourth Employment and Labour Relations Annual Symposium and Exhibition in Nairobi, the Chief Justice said migrant workers face additional barriers when seeking justice.

She cited language and legal barriers, dependence on employers or recruitment agencies, and difficulties accessing complaints systems in different countries.

The symposium is bringing together government agencies, employers, workers’ organisations, recruitment agencies and other stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening labour protection systems.