NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 19 – President William Ruto on Monday expressed shocked during the retreat with the executive when a section of Members of Parliament revealed that they do not know about foreign jobs secured by the government abroad.
The legislators had shouted back at the president that ‘Nobody has told us’ as he was explaining that the government had advertised for 2,500 nursing jobs.
President Ruto however responded that the jobs were advertised in newspapers and he had also been talking about it during his meetings in various parts of the country.
“I have heard some of you say you are not aware! Where do you want me to stand to tell you, which volume do you want so that you can hear?” he asked.
“I have talked about this thing in every meeting. When you are seated those meetings, after that aren’t you supposed to find out where these vacancies are?”
The President observed that the legislators have been constantly telling him to offer their friends who lost in the last elections jobs, yet they have forgotten the youth.
“There were so many people looking for jobs in our offices and all over the place! We need to connect them to the right places. Any serious leader will listen to what I am saying and do something about it,’’ he stated.
President Ruto urged lawmakers to actively identify unemployed youth in their constituencies for negotiated job opportunities in foreign countries.
The President emphasized that his overseas trips have yielded job opportunities through bilateral talks and challenged MPs to facilitate the placement of qualified unemployed youth.
“I want you to focus your energy where it matters, as people’s representatives. Let’s connect our youth to these opportunities,” President Ruto urged the MPs.
He disclosed that the government is finalizing a bilateral framework to secure 250,000 jobs in Germany and emphasized the need to seize such opportunities without excuses.
The government had previously pledged to send 3,000 to 5,000 Kenyans abroad weekly to address unemployment.
In addition to job creation efforts, President Ruto criticized coalition MPs opposing the Affordable Housing Program, stressing its role in reducing unemployment. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the project successfully.
“I don’t think there is anyone who needs persuasion on housing… For the places where housing projects have started in Ruiru, crime has gone down,” President Ruto stated.
While acknowledging opposition to the housing project, he urged MPs to support government initiatives, emphasizing the potential for job creation and socioeconomic development.
President Ruto highlighted the employment prospects of the housing project, aiming to create 300,000 jobs by year-end, and criticized opponents, urging a focus on job creation rather than levy deductions.