Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has raised concerns about the plight of Kenyan workers in Gulf countries.
In a statement on Monday, February 3, the MP described the labour export initiative as a national failure that has led to shattered dreams and untold suffering.
Salasya criticized the government's reliance on labour export as a solution to unemployment, arguing that it has done more harm than good.
“My fellow Kenyans, we cannot continue exporting our youth and mothers like commodities. Labour export has failed to uplift lives; it has only fueled broken homes, shattered dreams, and untold suffering.
"Look at the statistics, how many Kenyans working in the Gulf have come back and built something? How many have started businesses or changed their lives? Almost NONE. They leave with hope, and return with nothing but pain. This is not a success story. It’s a national shame," the Legislator stated.
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Salasya painted a picture of the reality faced by many Kenyan migrant workers, who endure harsh conditions in foreign countries only to return home to further despair.
“Our young men and women go to the Gulf, endure harsh conditions, and sacrifice everything for their families. But after three years, what do they come back to? Many return to find broken homes, abandoned by spouses, and forced to leave again. The cycle of misery continues,' he added.
Salasya described the government's initiative to send Kenyans abroad as a way of addressing unemployment as a sign of leadership failure.
He urged the government to shift focus toward local job creation by investing in industries, manufacturing and digital transformation.
“A government that exports its workforce instead of creating jobs is a failed government! Why should Kenyans be second-class citizens in foreign lands when they can thrive in their own country?
“Instead of sending our people to toil in foreign lands, we should invest in industries, manufacturing, and digital transformation. Kenya has the brains, the talent, and the potential—we just need the right leadership to harness it," he concluded.
This comes months after government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has revealed the total number of Kenyans who have secured jobs abroad through government programs.
In a statement on November 18, 2024, he said over 100,000 Kenyans have benefited from job opportunities in Canada and Australia among other countries.
"A total of 105,367 Kenyans have benefitted from job opportunities abroad in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain among others," he stated.
Mwaura also disclosed that the government is in talks with other countries to open more job opportunities for Kenyans interested in working abroad.
"The government is also finalizing bilateral negotiations with other countries to expand our labor export market beyond our traditional destinations. Active negotiations are in the sunset stages with Russia, Poland, and Jordan to open more doors of opportunities to Kenyans abroad," he added.
