‘Fair is fair’ - Mutua pledges to prioritise interns in govt job placements if approved
By Lucy Mumbi |
Emaase highlighted the issue of new graduates struggling to find jobs despite their qualifications, while those who graduated years earlier often face discrimination in hiring practices.
Labour Cabinet Secretary nominee Alfred Mutua has committed to introducing new policies aimed at giving graduates and interns from institutions priority in securing entry-level government positions.
The pledge follows concerns raised by Teso South MP Mary Emaase regarding the employment challenges faced by recent graduates.
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Emaase highlighted the issue of new graduates struggling to find jobs despite their qualifications, while those who graduated years earlier often face discrimination in hiring practices.
She also pointed out the inefficiencies in the current employment system, where new graduates frequently get hired before those who have been job-hunting for longer periods.
“There is a limited number of employment opportunities compared to the number of graduates that are coming out of our institutions every year. To make the situation worse, there is a mismatch between skills and industry needs. Sadly, there is an unfair recruitment process. Some graduates are educating themselves using manual jobs. How do you employ somebody who graduated last year when there is another person who graduated 15 years ago with first-class honours? If approved, what structure will you use to absorb these graduates?” Emaase posed.
In response, Mutua assured that if he is confirmed for the role, he will implement a policy to prioritise interns for government entry-level positions.
“It doesn’t make sense that a young person goes to a bank, works very well, and serves as an intern, but when jobs come up, they are left out. If approved, I am going to bring a policy to ensure that if you are taken in as an intern in a Ministry and you don’t have any issues and pass a certain mark, you will be considered first when employment positions arise. We will engage with the Public Service Commission (PSC) because fair is fair,” Mutua said.
He also encouraged young people to enhance their skills by pursuing courses that align with industry needs.
“We need to show people how they can study and acquire new skills to diversify their expertise. Opportunities come with languages, and one of the things I am going to advocate for is TVETs and skills development. For example, while learning to be an electrician, you could also learn a foreign language like German or Spanish,” he added.
Mutua also vowed to overhaul the employment act to ensure equitable access to opportunities and to attract more foreign companies to create jobs in Kenya, rather than solely exporting Kenyan labour abroad.
“We need to connect people through effective communication and teach them how to navigate job markets. We are not just about sending people to work overseas; we want to bring jobs here. If approved, I will work to attract more companies to bring their outsourcing operations to Kenya, for services such as accounting and telecommunication, allowing people to work in Kenya for overseas companies,” he said.
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