Kenya-Germany labour deal explained

Diaspora Affairs PS Roseline Njogu. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

During last week’s visit to Germany, President William Ruto announced a bilateral agreement to create 250,000 job opportunities for Kenyans. 

The deal is expected to open up employment in various sectors, particularly for skilled labour, helping to address Kenya's rising unemployment.

However, the announcement sparked debate after Germany's Ministry of Interior clarified that the agreement does not specify a set number of jobs. 

This raised questions about the deal's actual scope and impact, leading to concerns about the promised employment opportunities.

In an interview with NTV on Monday, September 16, Diaspora Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu clarified that the figure mentioned by President Ruto refers to the size of the German labour market rather than a specific quota. 

"The agreement is non-quota-based," Njogu said, explaining that Kenyans must meet Germany's labour laws to qualify for available jobs. "It opens the market for us, provided we qualify," she added.

Njogu highlighted Germany's need for younger workers, noting the country’s aging population.

"Germany has a significant shortage of young people in its labour market, while Kenya has a growing youth population. The median age in Germany is 44, compared to 19.5 in Kenya. As the last of the baby boomers exit the workforce, industries in Germany are feeling the strain," the PS said.

"Meanwhile, millions of young people join Kenya's labour market each year. We see it as our responsibility, as a government, to help them secure employment."

She noted that outsourcing jobs is essential to tackling unemployment, as Kenya's economy cannot absorb the growing number of job seekers. The economy is not expanding at the same rate as the birth rate or the influx of new workers.

While efforts to create jobs internally take time and require structural changes to the economy, Njogu noted that the number of unemployed remains high. 

She further encouraged Kenyans to take advantage of these opportunities, noting that jobs are available across various industries.