Kenya Rallies Support for Returnee Migrant Workers Ahead of Anti-Trafficking Day
0
0
By James Nyaigoti,
As the world prepares to observe the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, Kenyan stakeholders gathered at the East African Institute of Homecare Management in Nairobi for a critical event themed “Bridging Home: Strengthening Reintegration for Returnee Workers.”
The event, hosted by the Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD) in partnership with the State Departments for Diaspora Affairs and Gender and Affirmative Action, brought together government officials, civil society actors, returnee migrant workers, and recruitment agents to examine challenges faced by Kenyans returning home from employment in Gulf countries.
CDTD Executive Director Edith Murogo explained that the forum was organized to amplify the experiences of returnees, many of whom face social, economic, and psychological difficulties upon returning. “We have many returnees now—some deported, some whose contracts ended. We realized we need a multi-sectoral approach to truly support them,” she said.
Returnees shared emotional stories of abuse, exploitation, and misinformation by unlicensed brokers. Many expressed frustration with the lack of support from Kenyan embassies abroad and the absence of community-level information on safe migration.
Josephine Obonyo, Secretary in the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, recognized these challenges and reaffirmed the government’s dedication to protecting migrant workers. She stressed the need for collective action involving government agencies, churches, civil society groups, and returnees themselves.
Vincent Ombati, Chair of the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies, highlighted how the public often falls prey to unauthorized brokers due to poor awareness of legal recruitment channels. “There’s a very fine line between ethical recruitment and trafficking. If someone bypasses government procedures, they are engaging in trafficking,” he said.
Ombati criticized the lack of investment in public education on safe labor migration. “The government has the knowledge and structures, but it’s not reaching the people. Agencies like the National Employment Authority remain unknown to many,” he noted.
He further urged Kenyans to avoid unregistered agents and emphasized that misleading promises from brokers often endanger lives, despite appearing to save costs or time.Discussions throughout the day pointed to systemic problems such as:
Limited staffing in Kenyan embassies, especially in expansive regions like Saudi Arabia.
Insufficient government response to distress cases abroad.
Lack of well-structured reintegration programs.
Poor dissemination of safe migration information at grassroots levels.
Participants called on the government to:
Expand the number of labor attachés in foreign countries.
Strengthen embassy support services.
Regulate recruitment more strictly.
Launch national awareness campaigns.
Build a structured reintegration framework for returning workers.
As the forum concluded, various stakeholders committed to working together to protect migrant workers and ensure their successful reintegration. Civil society organizations, faith-based groups, survivor-led networks, and government departments agreed to continue building a joint support system for returnees.
The “Bridging Home” forum underscored the urgent need for a coordinated national approach to migration safety and reintegration. With the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons just days away, Kenya’s message is firm: returnees deserve safety, dignity, and support before, during, and after their migration journey.
About The Author
