Members of the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations have urged the government to institute stronger safeguards and better coordination mechanisms in Kenya’s labour export programmes.

The committee made the call during an inspection tour of the State Department for Diaspora Affairs (SDDA) headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi, on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

Led by Committee Chair Nelson Koech, the lawmakers acknowledged the growing significance of diaspora remittances, which totalled Ksh643.5 billion in 2024, and the strategic role of the newly established Diaspora Placement Agency in alleviating unemployment.

According to SDDA Principal Secretary Roslyne Njogu, the agency—anchored in Executive Order No. 1 of 2025—has facilitated employment for over 400,000 Kenyans abroad as of June 2025, backed by five bilateral labour agreements signed in the last two years.

However, the legislators raised questions about overlapping mandates and the need for clarity on roles between the agency and the Ministry of Labour. “What is the correlation between the Diaspora Placement Agency and the Ministry of Labour?” Koech asked, calling for streamlined interagency coordination.

Transparency emerged as a major concern, with Abdulkadir Mohammed demanding disaggregated data. “You say you’ve facilitated 400,000 Kenyans, but what are the statistics per county? Why can’t you put faces to these numbers?” In response, PS Njogu pledged to furnish a county-by-county breakdown of placements.

Crackdown on rogue agencies

Committee members also expressed alarm over reports of rogue recruitment agencies exploiting desperate job seekers. Martha Wangari pressed for legislative and policy measures to close loopholes.

“We need to deal firmly with those spreading misinformation and taking advantage of vulnerable Kenyans,” she said. PS Njogu noted that SDDA is working with National Government Administrative Officers to run sensitisation campaigns.

In response to calls for sustainable economic strategies, Committee Vice Chair Bashir Abdullahi urged the department to channel diaspora remittances into domestic job creation. “You should boost investor confidence and bring diaspora remittances home to create jobs locally,” he said.

Njogu highlighted ongoing initiatives such as diaspora investment webinars, a proposed Diaspora Infrastructure Bond, and partnerships to reduce remittance costs below 3%.

Diaspora support plans

The committee was also briefed on the planned rollout of diaspora centres, starting with Australia; the deployment of 26 nurses to the USA; and the Diaspora Distress Repatriation Program, which has evacuated 5,232 Kenyans from 19 countries.

The MPs committed to pushing for policy and legislative reforms to safeguard migrant workers and strengthen SDDA’s contribution to economic growth.