Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua on Saturday evening, December 28, bid farewell to another group of Kenyan workers traveling to Qatar.
The team of drivers, part of the 3,000 Kenyans interviewed for various positions earlier this year, will join their colleagues already working in Doha.
Speaking during the send-off last evening, Mutua highlighted the steady stream of Kenyans embarking on new opportunities abroad.
"Every week, Kenyans travel to Qatar to embark on new adventures and build their livelihoods," Mutua said.
He expressed gratitude to the nations offering opportunities to Kenyans, emphasizing the government's commitment to facilitating such partnerships for economic growth and employment creation.
The group, CS Mutua said, is part of an initiative aimed at providing Kenyan workers with job placements overseas, with Qatar being a key destination due to its demand for skilled labor.
"We are particularly grateful to the State of Qatar for being a partner in development and collaboration across many areas. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Kenya and Qatar in 2003, the bond between our two countries has steadily grown, founded on mutual respect, shared values, and strategic cooperation," CS Mutua said.
"We deeply appreciate Qatar for hosting almost 70,000 Kenyans, whose contributions benefit both Qatar and Kenya."
The CS assured Kentans travelling to Qatar for work that it is a conducive environment for work.
"As the Minister in charge of Labour Mobility, I am pleased to assure Kenyans that Qatar is a very safe and hospitable nation for them. Despite earlier reports, we can confidently confirm that there are no Kenyan refugees in the State of Qatar. All Kenyans in Qatar are either gainfully employed or visiting this beautiful country," the CS said.
CS Mutua said that he will soon be signing a bilateral agreement with his counterpart, H.E. Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri, Qatar’s Minister of Labour, to enhance skilled labour mobility.
"Dr. Al-Marri’s recent visit to Kenya marked the beginning of expanded job opportunities for Kenyan professionals and skilled workers in Qatar. This development underscores the depth of our partnership, and we hope to see even more Kenyans visiting and working in this remarkable country," he said.
