Kick out rogue employment agencies, senators say
By Rawlings, June 8, 2023
Senators want the government to crack down on private employment agencies.
This is after a National Employment Authority (NEA) report revealed that several employment agencies were operating without licenses.
According to the authority, some 401 employment agencies operate in Kenya without valid licenses.
The data contained in the regulator’s integrated management system shows that there are 932 registered employment agencies in the country but only 531 have valid licenses.
Senator Samson Cherargei (Nandi) said Ministry of Labour should provide a list of private employment agencies operating in the country.
“The government should shed light on the number of private employment agencies which are operating with expired licenses,” said Cherargei (pictured).
In 2020, recruiting agencies raised a red flag over an upsurge of foreign firms operating in the country without proper documentation with the majority of the firms from Arab States, mainly Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya said of the 320 recruitment agencies accredited by NEA, only about 100 were members of the two recognized associations – ASMAK and the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies.