Editor's Review
Kenya has secured commitments for 293,600 job opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Kenya has secured commitments for 293,600 job opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on Thursday, November 12, Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua described the agreement as a major milestone under the government's Kazi Majuu programme.
Join our WhatsApp Channel for the latest news updates.
CS Mutua announced the commitment following a meeting with Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister for Labour, Dr Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnai, in Riyadh.
“Today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, I negotiated better terms and expanded job opportunities for Kenyans seeking employment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including commitments for 293,600 new job opportunities across various sectors.
Read More
“This is a significant milestone in our Kazi Majuu programme and our broader efforts to create dignified, well-paying and sustainable employment opportunities for Kenyans abroad,” read the statement.
The meeting was also attended by Kenyan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph Masila, and senior government officials from both countries.
During the meeting, CS Mutua and Abuthnai discussed the reopening of Saudi Arabia's borders to Kenyan workers following restrictions imposed over reports of Ebola cases in Kenya.
The Labour CS informed the Saudi officials that the reported Ebola case had been identified and isolated, with no community transmission recorded.
“Kenya is now free of any Ebola cases, and it is important to emphasise that we have never had a single case of community transmission. We look forward to the full restoration of access for Kenyan workers,” he said.
Kenya and Saudi Arabia agreed to have to have their technical teams finalize a skilled workers recruitment agreement within one month.
According to CS Mutau the agreement will pave the way for skilled Kenyan professionals to secure job opportunities in the Saudi labour market.
The two also discussed the need to continuously improve the treatment, welfare and general working conditions of Kenyans employed in Saudi Arabia.
Further, Kenya and Saudi signed a letter of intent providing for a three-month pilot programme on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers.
“We signed a letter of intent providing for a three-month pilot on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers, based on market cost competitiveness and arrangements that allow Kenya to remain competitive with neighboring and competing labour-sending countries,” he stated.
Additionally, the two countries signed a technical annex to the bilateral agreement on the recruitment of domestic workers, which was originally signed on July 5, 2026.
This comes weeks after Saudi Arabia announced the suspension of travel by its citizens to Kenya, alongside a halt to all visa issuance to travellers from the country.
The Kingdom also imposed a ban on entry for travellers arriving from Kenya, including those who had transited through other countries but had resided in Kenya or Ebola-affected countries within the previous 21 days.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in response, expressed concern over the restrictions, arguing that the country had made significant progress in containing the outbreak.
"The Ministry of Health-Kenya has noted with concern the extreme measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the Ebola situation in the country. We reiterate that the measures taken are not only excessive but not backed by the current epidemiological situation in the country," the CS said in a statement.
