Most Kenyans who end up stranded, trafficked or exploited while searching for jobs abroad never used the government's official labour migration system, Diaspora Affairs PS Roseline Njogu has said, urging job seekers to avoid irregular recruitment routes and follow approved channels that offer protection.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Wednesday, Njogu said the government has strengthened safeguards for Kenyans working overseas through the Kazi Majuu programme, which verifies employment opportunities, monitors migrant workers and helps detect human trafficking and fraudulent recruitment networks.
She said the programme has enabled more than 583,000 Kenyans to secure jobs abroad over the past three and a half years, with authorities maintaining records that help protect workers throughout the migration process.
"So we are very close to the 600k mark and those are the ones I'm talking about that we have the data," Njogu said.
The PS explained that Kenyans who follow the official process undergo several verification stages before leaving the country. These include confirmation that the job offer is genuine, clearance by the Ministry of Labour and registration at the labour desk at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
"That gives a lot of protections, and we use that data to track," she explained, adding that the system also enables the government to identify suspicious travel destinations and step in before workers fall victim to trafficking.
Njogu said some countries automatically attract closer scrutiny because of previous cases involving vulnerable Kenyan job seekers.
"If you come and tell us you are going to Thailand for this job, there are certain places that immediately light up fires, and we're like, let us do that check again before we let you leave," she said.
She noted that Russia remains one of the destinations under close watch following earlier cases in which Kenyans were recruited into Russian military operations.
According to the PS, thousands of Kenyans now pass through the government's official clearance system every month, allowing authorities to monitor where they are travelling and ensure Kenyan embassies are aware of their presence.
"My concern is not these ones," she said. "The bulk of our distress cases come from people who went in irregular ways."
Njogu said many victims are misled by recruiters who advise them to travel to countries such as the United Arab Emirates using visitor visas, with promises that work permits will be processed later. Instead, many are abandoned without legal documents, employment or any source of income.
"Why would somebody knowingly walk down that?" Njogu asked. "If you're going to take advantage of opportunities that are abroad, then travel using the right pathway we have created."
She also encouraged Kenyans travelling abroad to identify the nearest Kenyan embassy immediately after arrival and seek assistance if they lose their travel documents or find themselves stranded.
"The first thing you do is establish where the nearest Kenya embassy is," she said. "We always send help so that you can get an emergency travel document."
Her remarks come as concern grows over the increasing number of Kenyans rescued from difficult situations abroad after using unlicensed recruiters and irregular migration channels.
According to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, more than 751 Kenyans have been rescued from illegal jobs abroad since 2022, with 615 already repatriated. The ministry also says 97 Kenyans are being held in immigration detention in Thailand awaiting deportation, 39 are imprisoned in Myanmar, while 305 Kenyans have been repatriated from Cambodia this year and another 29 returned from Laos, highlighting the risks associated with irregular labour migration.
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