Hundreds turn up for Qatar job opportunities

By Peter Ochieng

Hundreds of Kenyans for interviews at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, for an employment opportunity in Qatar.

The interviews, which run from Friday to Sunday, came on the backdrop of recent negotiations spearheaded by President Dr. William Ruto.

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Labour and Social Protection Alfred Muta says the recruitment drive aims to place 8,000 Kenyans in key sectors such as hospitality, service, construction, and technical roles.

“Interviews for prospective employees continued this morning and will run until Sunday, with hospitality and service job seekers gathering at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), while technical candidates are being interviewed at Kabete National Polytechnic,” Mutua said.

“Importantly, no interview fees are required, and for successful candidates, the Qatari employers will cover travel expenses for successful candidates. For those that succeed and do not have a passport, arrangements will be made to help secure one as quickly as possible. Candidates will still need to obtain other personal documents, such as medical certificates,” he said.

This initiative, the former Machakos governor added, follows productive discussions with Qatar’s Minister for Labour Saeed Samikh, focusing on strengthening and expanding labour opportunities for Kenyans in Qatar.

“The recruitment goes beyond unskilled labour, opening up avenues for skilled workers, which aligns with our goal of enabling Kenyans to capitalise on international opportunities.”

According to Mutua, they are working on a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to amend the 2012 Labour agreement, offering skilled Kenyans a clearer pathway to work in Qatar.

He said a Qatari visa centre will soon be established in Nairobi to streamline the application process, making it easier for Kenyans to secure employment and transition to Qatar.

The CS had earlier faced the wrath of Kenyans online after he posted the job advert.

Some Kenyans wondered why the government was hell-bent on exporting labour to foreign countries, instead of creating employment opportunities for Kenyan youth.