Government resumes overseas job recruitment

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has resumed the second phase of overseas job recruitment after a brief hiatus to monitor the escalating conflict in the Middle East and upgrade its systems.

Labour CS Alfred Mutua said the pause also allowed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to probe cases where unsuspecting job seekers were conned by rogue recruitment agencies that exploited the mass recruitment initiative to swindle them of their hard-earned money.

The CS urged the youth to seize the various job opportunities available globally, noting that many countries need workers.

“Kenyans have people with no jobs. We have very qualified young people. Our job is not to give a handout but to give a hand up to these young people,” said CS Mutua during a recruitment drive in Mombasa.

He added that more than 4,000 job opportunities are available during the two-day exercise in the port city before the programme moves to another county.

Some of the opportunities include caregivers, nurses, truck drivers, construction workers, and baristas, with no commission required.

Youth were advised to visit the National Employment Authority website for more job listings and to verify whether a recruitment agency is accredited.

He cautioned job seekers to remain vigilant against unscrupulous individuals posing as recruitment agents without known physical offices, often using phone numbers registered to deceased persons to defraud victims.

“Do your due diligence,” he stated.

Job seekers were also urged to call the NEA toll-free number 0800522223 to report rogue agencies for swift action.

Meanwhile, the CS weighed in on the recent inter-county conflict that paralysed transport along the Mwingi–Garissa road last week, terming the incidents as “idiotic, primitive and barbaric" in this day and age for communities to attack other communities, for people to go and raid other communities, for people to go and rape the women of other communities.”

He affirmed that it is unacceptable for any community to take up arms against another under any circumstances.

“It is also wrong for any leader to incite others or to try to justify any barbaric attack,” he stated, adding that sporadic attacks in various parts of the country must cease.