The government has suspended the recruitment process of job seekers abroad being conducted by the Ministry of Labour to fast-track the processing of the already selected applicants.
Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Dr. Alfred Mutua said the pronouncement has been necessitated by the need to take stock of the progress so far and also align with the recruiting agencies’ requirements and the job seekers’ needs.
So far, the exercise has been conducted in six counties and according to the CS, the turnout of interested job seekers has been overwhelming.
The CS added that there was a need to also keep the National Assembly and other key government officials abreast with the emerging trends in an effort to complement and support the National Government initiative to assist job seekers get access to such opportunities abroad.
Speaking after overseeing the exercise for the job seekers at the Nyandarua National Polytechnic, the Labour CS said that further recruitment would resume after the 12th of December and hence called on leaders to support the initiative.
Mutua, accompanied by the Principal Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Shadrack Mwandime, said the high number of applications received necessitated the hiatus, and the recruitment agencies might be overwhelmed hence they needed time to process the over 5,900 applications already received.
The exercise has seen many young jobseekers come out in large numbers to apply for jobs mainly open in Gulf countries.
Many jobseekers have however faulted the process saying that the agency fees required to process their visas and passports were way above their means.
“I want to call on the successful applicants to fundraise the agents’ fees within their family and friends’ circles, because the payments for the jobs abroad is lucrative and would enable you to repay your friends and family on time,” said Mutua.
PS Mwadime reiterated the importance of TVET institutions with equipping the jobseekers with the requisite skills saying that the most demanded workforce abroad is those with technical skills from Kenyan TVETS.
By Antony Mwangi
