Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has revealed that 5,000 Kenyans are stranded in Qatar, left without work or financial support.

Speaking on local media, Citizen TV, CS Mutua blamed rogue recruitment agencies for misleading Kenyans with false promises of well-paying jobs abroad.

Mutua explained that most of these Kenyans travelled to Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha, only to remain there jobless after the tournament ended. “We have 5,000 Kenyans in Qatar, being supported daily by the International Organization for Migration due to these rogue agencies,” he stated.

According to Mutua, some agencies charged Kenyan job-seekers up to Ksh250,000 (1,933.92 USD), often leading people to sell property or take on debt to afford the fees. However, many of these jobs only lasted three months, leaving workers unable to afford the trip back home.

Mutua highlighted corruption as a major factor behind the exploitation of job-seekers, with agencies pocketing high fees while failing to secure sustainable employment for recruits. “Since joining the Labour Ministry, I have been working to tackle this corruption and clean up the recruitment process,” he said. The CS emphasized that job interviews should be free, aside from medical tests and minimal administrative costs.

As part of his commitment to reform, Mutua aims to protect Kenyan job-seekers from exploitation and ensure legitimate opportunities for those seeking work abroad.