Prime CS and Foreign and Diaspora CS Musalia Mudavadi with Qatari Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Al-Enazi in Nairobi, February 4, 2025. /OPCSThe government has announced plans to continue leveraging Kenya's skilled workforce to fill labour shortages overseas, with the latest plan being seeking employment opportunities for teachers, nurses and security personnel in Qatar.
Prime CS and Diaspora and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi made the revelation on Tuesday after meeting with Qatari Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Al-Enazi in Nairobi.
"Since 2024, Qatar has employed 7,000 Kenyans, bringing the total to 75,000. I urged the ambassador to expand these opportunities, including roles for Kiswahili teachers," Mudavadi said on X after the meeting, which was also attended by Ashakur Hussein, Deputy Director General, Middle East Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mudavadi said Qatar recently recruited 200 Kenyans into its National Police Force, ranging from Form 4 leavers to university graduates.
"I also emphasised the need for collaboration in media operations and capacity building," the Prime CS said.
In November 2024, the government announced plans to send one million Kenyans for jobs abroad annually under a labour export programme aimed at creating employment opportunities for Kenyan citizens, particularly the youth, to subdue growing unemployment in the country.
The then Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua said 5,931 Kenyans had secured jobs abroad after marathon recruitment across six counties, which he said had seen an overwhelming response.
“Given the high turnout, there is a need to pause the process temporarily to ensure that the recruiting agencies, who have received over 5,900 applications, can effectively process all the applications,” Mutua said.
Speaking in Nyandarua County at the Nyandarua National Polytechnic after overseeing the recruitment of youth, Mutua said the process would resume after December 12, 2024.
The Ministry of Labour plays a crucial role in overseeing recruitment processes, regulating private employment agencies involved in labour export and negotiating bilateral agreements with other countries.
But even then, critics of the labour export programme have said that while it's seen as a way of addressing unemployment, it can lead to exploitation of Kenyan workers abroad, particularly in regions with poor working conditions.
The country has in the past witnessed reported cases of Kenyan migrant workers being mistreated in their host countries, and in extreme cases, some were reported to have died under mysterious circumstances.
Meanwhile, Mudavadi said he invited Qatari business leaders to the World Chambers Congress in Nairobi, scheduled for April 9–11.
It will be the first ever in Africa during the Federation’s 75-year history.
The Prime CS said the event will offer visitors a great chance to explore Kenya’s vibrant business landscape.
"We also discussed plans to shift the upcoming Foreign Ministerial meeting from Nairobi to Doha in November 2025," he said.
