Nominated Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar has implored Parliament to fast-track a continental labour-migration law.
Prof Kamar has also warned that Kenya risks falling behind in “protecting our own abroad”.
While rising at the Floor of the House to seek a statement, Prof. Kamar said Kenya must ratify the Draft Model Law on Labour Migration in Africa “without delay.”
The Bill, refined during a Pan-African consultation held in Kenya from 16–18th June, is due before the African Union Legislative Council next month.
“Our migrant workers, many of whom serve in precarious environments, deserve a law that protects them comprehensively,” Prof Kamar declared.
“Fast-tracking this Bill will not only safeguard Kenyan workers overseas but also reaffirm our leadership in the African integration agenda,” she added.
The three-day Nairobi meeting, convened by the Pan-African Parliament and supported by the ILO and IOM, brought together 55 AU member states.
Delegates agreed on fair-recruitment clauses, gender-responsive policies and full alignment with International Labour Standards.
In addition, Prof. Kamar called on the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare to lead the Senate in crafting an inclusive and forward-looking migration framework.
Senator Danson Mungatana, who headed Kenya’s delegation, echoed the urgency.
“We must protect the dignity of migrant workers while positioning labour migration as a driver of socio-economic development,” he said.
