Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Simon Chelugui Mutua, has written a letter to Speaker of the Senate, Amason Kingi, addressing allegations against Senator Betty Adero Orwoba. The letter, submitted after Mutua appeared before the Senate Labour Committee, accuses Orwoba of extorting recruitment agencies and threatening ministry officials.
Orwoba, a nominated senator, has been vocal about issues within the labour export sector. She raised concerns over the transparency of recruitment agencies and the fate of 89 Kenyans who had each paid KSh 15,000 to these agencies but were yet to secure employment opportunities abroad. Senator Orwoba insisted that her involvement with the National Employment Authority was primarily to oversee the recruitment process, ensuring that the rights of Kenyan job seekers were protected.
In response to Orwoba’s claims, CS Mutua explained that the government had been availing job opportunities in phases and assured the public that individuals who had not traveled had been refunded their recruitment fees. He emphasized that such measures were taken to protect job seekers from exploitation. Furthermore, he outlined plans to channel funds into the Youth Development Fund and Uwezo Fund, providing Kenyans with access to loans to cover recruitment fees charged by agencies.
Despite Mutua’s clarifications, the Senate Labour Committee declined to discuss the letter from the CS, urging Senator Orwoba to present concrete evidence to substantiate her claims that thousands of Kenyans had been swindled under the Labour Ministry’s watch. The committee further challenged her to provide clear proof of any wrongdoing by the ministry or its officials.
The Ministry of Labour has also issued a strong warning to Kenyans seeking jobs abroad, advising against traveling on tourist visas. The ministry stressed the importance of obtaining proper working visas to avoid exploitation and ensure that individuals are legally employed in foreign countries.
This ongoing issue has sparked heated debates within the Senate, with calls for greater transparency and accountability in the recruitment process for Kenyans seeking job opportunities abroad.
