The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has revealed plans to start fresh vetting of agencies responsible for recruitment of Kenyan migrants workers afresh.

This is a bid to weed out rogue recruitment agencies and protect migrant workers from the rampant exploitation they have been undergoing .

While appearing before National Assembly departmental committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Hon. Florence Bore, disclosed that the sector is the leading source of remittance into the country  and thus should be streamlined.

"Labour migration continues to greatly contribute to the growth and development of the country's economy. Trends in the last decade show tremendous growth in remittances inflow into the country,  with increased fourfold from Ksh 104.3 billion in 2012 to Ksh 499.86 billion in 2022," Hon. Bore disclosed. 

Hon. Bore told the Lydia Haika- led committee that in order to strengthen the legal policy and institutional framework on Labour migration management in the country, the National Assembly needs to pass the Labour  Migration Management Bill 2022 which has been developed in consultation with the Attorney General's office , once it gets submitted to parliament for enactment on Tuesday next week. 

"The Ministry in consultation with stakeholders has developed the Labour Migration Management Bill, 2022 which seeks to promote safe, ethical and orderly recruitment and safeguard  the rights and the welfare of migrant workers, " Hon. Bore said. 

The CS had been invited by the Committee to shed light on the policies and programmes the ministry has put in place for the protection of the rights and welfare of Kenyan Migrant Workers.

The Ministry through the CS also disclosed that once it gets additional budgetary allocation it will embark on a process of establishing two key institutions; Kenya Migrant Workers Welfare Fund (KMWWF) and Department  of Labour Migration  Management, meant  to provide protection,  welfare and assistance to Kenyan migrant workers during migration, during their stay in destination country and upon return to the country.

Members present during the presentation were Hon. Kingara Simon Nganga (Committee Vice-chair), Hon. Charity Kathambi Chepkwony, Hon. Captain Ruweida, Hon. Doris Ndonya, Hon. Felix Odiour, Hon. Babu Owino, Hon. Fred Kapondi and Hon Bedzimba Rashid.