Kenyan President William Ruto has clashed with opposition leader Raila Odinga over the government’s position to export thousands of Kenyan workers as a solution to the high unemployment rates.
Odinga told Ruto on December 8th to create local job opportunities for Kenyans instead of exporting them abroad. Ruto argued that the exportation of labour would rob Kenya of young people with the skills and knowledge needed in the local industry.
The head of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition made the remarks as he castigated Ruto’s government for announcing that it would export about 1,500 Kenyans to Israel to work in agricultural fields for at least three years.
The development was announced by Kenya’s Ministry of Labour on December 6th.
President Ruto has come out to defend the move by his government, saying that it is the best decision, due to the surging unemployment in the country.
Ruto told a Congregation during the Church Service on Sunday that he had heard Odinga complain about the step taken by his government and asked what he (Odinga) wanted Kenyans to do in a country with fewer job opportunities.
“I saw the opposition leader complaining, saying that many people are being taken abroad for jobs. What did he want them to do if they remained in Kenya? More is yet to come; he has started complaining very early. People will leave Kenya for employment abroad in the thousands,” he said
Ruto said Odinga didn’t understand what was going on and urged him to stop complaining because many Kenyans will go abroad for employment. He said there is no problem for Kenyans working abroad if they’re earning.
“I want to ask, when one goes to Israel and gets a salary of Ksh.100, 000, is there a problem there? There are people, who do not understand, how things are going on. I want to tell the leader of the Opposition to stop complaining. Many people will still go abroad for jobs,” he added.
Kenya is currently grappling with high living costs that have been brought about by the high prices of commodities. Amidst all this, the unemployment rate in Kenya is quite alarming, and the government believes labour exportation may resolve the economic crisis.