The Labour Migration Management Bill, 2025, if enacted into Law, will cure gaps and challenges witnessed in the repatriation of migrant workers back to Kenya, the National Assembly Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers has heard.
This is according to the National Employment Authority (NEA), which appeared before the Committee to discuss the utilisation of security bond required from Private Recruitment Agencies (PRAs) and how the bond is used to compensate aggrieved job seekers, repatriate stranded workers and processing lodging claims.
The session, which was chaired by Lang’ata MP Felix Odiwour, heard that due to a lack of funds, NEA is not in a position to repatriate workers and is forced to seek help from the state department of Diaspora Affairs.
“We tried engaging an insurance company to repatriate one Kenyan who was stranded, and they particularly told us NEA or the Agent can repatriate then later get a refund, so it became a bit difficult for us to pursue that line because we could not afford neither could the agency,” Joseph Njue, the Director of Immigration at NEA, said.
Who should repatriate a Kenyan working abroad?
Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba then asked who, according to the agreement, is mandated with the responsibility to repatriate.
“Is it the agent or NEA then claim to the insurance? And if you, as NEA, don’t have the funds to do so, why don’t you sit down and change because we can’t let people sit there without repatriation?” Bedzimba said.
In his response, Njue asked members to help them fast-track the Bill, saying that the proposed Migrant Workers Welfare Fund in the Bill will see an end to several challenges faced by migrant workers.
“This is a contributory fund proposed under the Labour Migration Management Bill, 2025. The principal objective of the Fund is to provide protection and assistance to Kenyan migrant workers during migration, stay in the destination country and return to the country,” he expounded.
Edith Okoki, the NEA Director General, told the Committee that the security bond is presented by PRAs as a requirement for issuance of a registration certificate after the approval of the application by the vetting Committee.
“All Private Employment Agencies are required to execute a security bond of a value one Kshs 1.5million at after being cleared by the Vetting Committee. The main objective of the Bond is to assist in repatriating distressed migrant workers or the remains of deceased migrant workers. Two insurance companies, the Monarch Insurance and African Merchant Assurance Company Limited, have been issuing the security Bond,” the DG said.
