Thousands of Kenyan migrant workers unaccounted for as agency deregisters 20 recruitment firms

The National Employment Authority (NEA) has revealed that thousands of Kenyans leaving the country for employment abroad remain unaccounted for due to a lack of coordination among government agencies.

Appearing before the National Assembly's Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers on Wednesday, NEA Director-General Edith Okoki revealed the confusion surrounding the registration of Kenyans seeking work overseas.

She pointed out that multiple government agencies, including the National Youth Service (NYS), are involved in the process, leading to a lack of clarity.

“Everyone right now is doing labour migration, even NYS is doing labour migration, and it's very confusing. As of now, we don't even know how many Kenyans have gone out to look for work. We have brought this to the attention of our CS to address the matter at that level. We believe there is a serious overlap on this issue,” Okoki told the committee.

The revelation came after Members of Parliament raised concerns about the proper documentation of Kenyans leaving the country for various destinations, with different government departments involved in the process.

Kacheliba MP Titus Lotee questioned who would be held accountable if issues arise with Kenyans travelling abroad for work.

“When we find a problem, where do we place the blame? Do we blame NEA, the ministry, or the different government departments engaging in this exercise?” he posed.

Okoki argued that the NEA has faced challenges regulating the labour migration industry, particularly due to some firms' close connections to powerful individuals.

“The last two years have not been easy. Some of the people that we were having issues with had access to high offices... others, once deregistered, would attempt to come back with different names,” she said.

She said NEA has so far deregistered 20 recruitment agencies following increased cases of malpractice. The agencies, according to the Authority, are accused of exploiting Kenyan youth by collecting funds with promises of job opportunities abroad, only to fail to deliver.

Okoki specifically mentioned Uasin Gishu County as a problematic area, where some of the deregistered firms have attempted to re-register under new names.

“When we closed First Choice, the owners tried to open a company called Royal Capital Placement, but we denied them the certificate,” she said.

The deregistered firms include Gulfway Recruitment Company Ltd, Royal Capital Placement Ltd, Geoverah Africa Safaris Ltd, First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Ltd and Geoverah Agency Ltd. Others are Daawo Holdings Ltd, Makungu International Ltd, Talent Gateway Ltd, Jakartya Ventures Ltd, and Skill Dove Ltd.

Committee Chair Lydia Haika criticized Okoki for not making the list of deregistered agencies public, arguing that the lack of transparency could allow the continued exploitation of young people.