1000 Kenyans fly out of the country every week to work in foreign countries under the government-backed labour export program, President William Ruto has revealed.
The President made the revelations on Sunday, July 28 while speaking shortly after attending a church service in Mwatate, Taita Taveta county.
The president heaped praises on the State Department of Labour and Skill Development led by Principal Secretary (PS) Shadrack Mwadime who he linked with the success of the program rolled out to address acute unemployment situation in the country.
“Every week, 1,000 young people leave Kenya through PS Mwadime to go and work in various countries,” President Ruto stated while explaining the successes of the program.
He noted that his administration has played its part in expanding opportunities for Kenyans willing to pursue opportunities outside the country by signing labour export bilateral agreements.
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“I have done my part in searching for jobs abroad and anyone who wants to travel will be given a passport within one week,” the President explained.
Ruto's assignment to MPs & processing of passports
He tasked MPs with establishing constituents who were unemployed and willing to travel abroad under the government-backed program.
“We have 400,000 job opportunities for Kenyans to work abroad so it is up to you MPs to ensure young people get those opportunities,” Ruto remarked.
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According to the President, those successful have the air ticket catered for with passports being processed within one week to enable them pursue opportunities.
“Mimi nimepanga ya kwamba mtu akitaka kuenda kwa hio ajira ng’ambo anapatiwa passport ndani ya wiki moja. Tunapatiana kila kitu ambayo inahitajika ndani ya wiki moja. Haihitaji hata pesa ya kulipa ndege, sisi tutalipa ndege (I have planned that anyone interested in flying out for those jobs will get their passports in less than a week. We also give out everything else required in just a week. They do not even require the air ticket money as it is catered for),” Ruto asserted.