Government blames failed drug tests for delays in Kazi Majuu placements
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua said that out of 500 recruits, 300 have already travelled, while 121 are still awaiting departure, and 84 hold visas and are set to travel soon.
The government has faulted some Kazi Majuu recruits for failing drug tests, saying that is the reason why many applicants from the Coast have not yet travelled abroad despite being selected for the programme.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua said that out of 500 recruits, 300 have already travelled, while 121 are still awaiting departure, and 84 hold visas and are set to travel soon.
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“Some of these people who are claiming they have not travelled, they were conned, also need to go and do personal medical check-ups,” Mutua told journalists in Machakos on Wednesday, adding that failing drug tests remains the main hurdle preventing applicants from securing visas.
The CS also warned against rogue recruitment agencies, noting that 600 have been deregistered in the past year. He cited a company accused of defrauding Kenyans by collecting money, which has since been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to record a statement.
“There are others who have been misbehaving, and we are making sure that we de-register them. Every year, there is a number we are not renewing their licenses, and the number is increasing, and people are starting to shape up,” he said.
Mutua urged Kenyans to maintain clean health records to avoid disqualification and expressed optimism that by 2026, the government will facilitate more than 200 Kenyans to secure overseas employment.
“Next year we align ourselves properly, we will get many Kenyans to travel overseas and get them a good life,” he said.
Since the programme began, at least 490 individuals have benefited, with Kenyan youths deployed to countries including Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Kazi Majuu is part of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s efforts to reduce unemployment among young people.
However, the initiative has faced criticism. In April, the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare launched an investigation into allegations that some recruitment agencies scammed job seekers out of millions of shillings. Former Chief Justice David Maraga has also criticised the government for prioritising sending youth abroad while domestic unemployment persists.
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