New Migrant Resource Centre Opens in Eldoret to Support Safe Labour Mobility
This Eldoret facility is the sixth KLMRC in Kenya, joining existing centres in Nairobi, Thika, Machakos, Kisumu, and Mombasa.
The government has also formalized bilateral labour agreements with seven countries, including the UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar, while 17 more are in the works. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, has welcomed a new one-stop resource centre that aims to support would-be Kenyan migrants, returning workers, and their families. The Kenya Labour Migration Resource Centre, facilitated by the National Employment Authority with the support of the International Labour Organization, will offer Kenyans seeking jobs abroad holistic advice and ascertain safe and productive ways of migration.
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua said the government is committed to creating stronger structures, policies, and systems that protect migrant workers throughout their employment journey. “Labour migration is not an escape from Kenya, but a strategic pathway that can strengthen our country. Migrant workers contribute to national development through remittances, investments, and transfer of skills,” Dr. Mutua said in a statement read on his behalf by Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Edyson Nyale.
The CS urged Kenyans to rely on only licensed recruitment agencies and shun individuals offering them quick overseas employment without proper documentation. “Genuine opportunities are always processed through official channels,” he noted.
NEA Director General Edith Okoki said that the centre would provide counselling, guidance and information on ethical recruitment, verified job opportunities, safe migration procedures, and workers’ rights abroad. “This resource centre is a place where dignity is defended and hope is shaped into real opportunity. It is for the young person dreaming of working abroad, the parent concerned about their child’s safety, and the returning worker seeking to rebuild their life,” she said.
This Eldoret facility is the sixth KLMRC in Kenya, joining existing centres in Nairobi, Thika, Machakos, Kisumu, and Mombasa. Okoki added that the centre further strengthens the local capacity to manage labour migration through bringing services closer to the people and ensuring that workers have access to accurate and reliable information before departing.
The government has also formalized bilateral labour agreements with seven countries, including the UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Qatar, while 17 more are in the works. “We are nearing completion of negotiations with Canada, the United States, Jordan, and Austria to further expand legal employment pathways for Kenyan workers,” she said.
ILO representative Aida Awel emphasized that the Eldoret centre reinforces Kenya’s labour migration governance framework, supporting the attainment of the objectives set out in the National Labour Migration Policy and broader national development goals. She reaffirmed ILO’s commitment to promoting fair recruitment, decent work, and protecting migrant rights from departure through employment abroad to return. The newly established KLMRC in Eldoret offers a pragmatic approach to helping Kenyans avoid exploitation, minimize risks associated with migration, and ensure that foreign employment makes a positive contribution to both families and national development.
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