Why Exporting Workers Could Solve Kenya’s Unemployment, PS Shadrack Mwadime

The Kenyan government is actively pursuing a comprehensive labour migration strategy aimed at addressing unemployment and encouraging economic growth.

Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime from the State Department for Labour and Skills Development has articulated a nuanced vision for international workforce deployment that goes beyond traditional migration paradigms. The initiative is strategically designed to create short-term employment opportunities for Kenyan workers, particularly young professionals, in international markets with more robust job landscapes. Drawing inspiration from successful economic transformations, Mwadime highlights South Korea’s historical approach of sending workers abroad to acquire skills and knowledge which subsequently contributed to the nation’s impressive economic advancement.

Central to the program’s philosophy is the concept of temporary international employment. Workers are expected to engage in three to five-year contracts, with the explicit intention of returning to Kenya equipped with enhanced professional capabilities and financial resources. This approach aims to transform labour migration from a mere economic survival strategy into a deliberate skill and capital acquisition mechanism. The Kenya Kwanza administration has been proactively negotiating bilateral agreements, primarily with European countries, to facilitate worker placement.

To date, approximately 108,000 Kenyans have been successfully positioned in various professional sectors, with projections indicating continued growth. While healthcare remains a primary focus, emerging opportunities in technology are becoming increasingly prominent with Germany notably removing language barriers for Kenyan tech professionals. Remittance potential represents another significant dimension of this initiative. Last year, Kenyan workers abroad remitted 663 billion Kenyan shillings, representing merely 5% of their total savings.

Mwadime sees substantial potential for economic transformation through strategic remittance channelling, with projections suggesting the possibility of reaching a trillion shillings in the future. Recognizing the potential vulnerabilities associated with international labour migration, the government has implemented comprehensive protective measures. A robust regulatory framework has been established, featuring mandatory pre-departure training programs and the deployment of labour attachés in key destination countries. These mechanisms are designed to safeguard workers’ rights and ensure their professional and personal well-being while abroad.