The National Employment Authority has deregistered 20 recruitment agencies for exploiting Kenyans seeking jobs abroad. But is this a strong enough sanction?
There is a 'grass is greener on the other side of the hill' syndrome in Kenya. There are many cleaners, house staff, drivers and nursing home attendants working abroad. These are largely unskilled jobs that any Kenyan can do.
The salary seems great until you get to the USA or Dubai and discover that the cost of living eats up a lot of your salary. You also go from being a first-class citizen in Kenya to being a second-class citizen in the USA or Dubai. But that is the legitimate choice of those who choose to work abroad.
The problem with many recruitment agencies is that they do not deliver. They take the money of hopeful young Kenyans and never get them visas or jobs. Deregistering them is insufficient punishment.
All recruitment agencies should be required to deposit a substantial financial bond with government. If they swindle hopeful Kenyans, they should forfeit that bond which could then be used to compensate their victims for their losses.
Quote of the day: "My policy on cake is pro having it and pro eating it."
Boris Johnson
He resigned as British Prime Minister on September 6, 2022
