Kenya's Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary, Roseline Njogu, clarified that the recent labor agreement between Kenya and Germany does not specify a set number of jobs for Kenyans.
During a Monday interview with NTV, Njogu emphasized that the agreement is non-quota-based, meaning there are no fixed figures like 250,000 or 30,000 jobs.
Instead, the deal allows Kenyans to access the German job market if they meet the required qualifications under German law.
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The labor agreement, signed last Friday between Nairobi and Berlin, covers various areas, such as labor mobility, apprenticeships, student training, employment, and worker readmission.
President William Ruto and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz oversaw the deal's signing in Berlin. Ruto later mentioned in an interview with German broadcaster DW that the agreement could potentially create 250,000 job opportunities for Kenyan youth.
According to him, Germany faces a significant labor shortage, while Kenya has a surplus of skilled workers, making the deal mutually beneficial.
However, the German government quickly disputed the job figures reported in global media. In response to a BBC headline on platform X (formerly Twitter), Germany's Interior Ministry stated that the deal does not include specific numbers or quotas for skilled workers from Kenya.
The Ministry reiterated that applicants must meet the strict criteria outlined in the German Skilled Immigration Act.
PS Njogu explained that President Ruto’s mention of 250,000 jobs was based on the potential market size discussed with Chancellor Scholz.
She encouraged Kenyans to focus on preparing themselves to meet the qualifications needed for these opportunities rather than fixating on the numbers.
