Embu County helps youths get jobs in the Middle East

Governor Martin Wambora addresses the youths recruited for jobs in the Middle East at the county headquarters. [PHOTO: JOSEPH MUCHIRI/STANDARD]

EMBU: Some 100 jobless youths have landed jobs in Qatar and United Arab Emirates courtesy of the county government and a recruitment firm.

They are the first batch of youths to get jobs in the Middle East under an initiative by the county administration to enable thousands of young people be in gainful employment.

Governor Martin Wambora said hundreds of youths had expressed interest to work as clerks, drivers, security guards and other professionals in the Middle East, but they shortlisted only 100 for the pilot phase of the project.

Speaking when he met youths who turned up to register for the jobs at county headquarters Thursday, Wambora said they were working with Foreign Affairs ministry to ensure the youths are hired by reputable employers.

"The youths will be provided with contract letters before leaving the country and they will also register with Kenyan embassies in the host countries. They will be working in offices and commercial centres not from people's houses," he explained.

He said the shortlisted candidates comprise Form Four leavers aged between 24 and 40 years, who had done various professional courses.

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"The level of unemployment in Embu is very high and we are doing everything possible to empower the youths. This includes creation of export processing zones in the county, facilitating youths to access the Youth and Uwezo fund to start businesses and looking for job opportunities for them in outside countries," Wambora said.

He said the county will facilitate the youths to get passports, but each person will be expected to meet their travel costs.

Wambora said the jobs are not part of the 100,000 placements the Government will be seeking in the UAE as announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta recently.

Fabian Muli, the director of Global Track Security and Forbes Global, the recruiting agency in the project,  said they will work closely with Kenyan embassies in respective countries to ensure the youths are not mistreated.

He said among the 100 youths, 30 would go to work as drivers, 40 as clerks and the rest as security guards.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with Africa Development Bank will build Sh1 billion mega dam in Mt Kenya Forest to boost agriculture in Tharaka Nithi County.

Speaking in his constituency, Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki said the dam will be used to provide water for irrigation in Tharaka and Igambang'ombe that are prone to drought.

"There has been severe famine in Tharaka and other parts of this county, with residents relaying on food aid and that is why the committee decided to construct dam," Mr Mbiuki, who is the vice chair of Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture said.

He revealed that the project is set to be launched by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgei in March this year.

He said location of the dam at the foot of Mount Kenya will ensure that the water reaches the lower regions of the county.

The legislator asked the farmers to invest in large-scale farming to boost the county's economy.