Outrage as Kenyans Deported from Qatar After Government-Backed Job Promise Collapses
Over 200 Kenyans are reeling from shock and financial ruin after being deported from Qatar, where they were promised lucrative job opportunities by the Kenyan government. The deportation has sparked national outrage and raised serious questions about the credibility of government-endorsed recruitment initiatives.
In December 2024, the Ministry of Labour, under Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, launched a high-profile recruitment drive that offered hundreds of jobless youth the opportunity to work in Qatar as police officers. Promoted as a golden ticket to employment in the Gulf, the initiative required selected candidates to pay KSh 250,000 to a contracted agency, along with an additional KSh 10,000 for medical screening.
But what was supposed to be a dream turned into a nightmare.
Upon arrival in Qatar, authorities discovered that the medical documents submitted by the recruits had been falsified. The revelation led to immediate deportation, leaving many stranded and deeply indebted. Several victims have come forward, revealing they took out loans and sold property to raise the required funds, only to be denied entry and sent back home with nothing.
“I borrowed money, sold my motorbike, and now I’m jobless with no way to pay back. This was a government promise. How did this happen?” asked one deportee who spoke to Nairobian under anonymity.
The incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the Labour Ministry’s oversight and the role of the private agency involved. Critics are demanding a full investigation into how the falsified reports passed undetected and what accountability mechanisms were (or weren’t) in place.
As public pressure mounts, there’s been no clear response from CS Mutua, and neither the ministry nor the agency has taken responsibility. Human rights organisations and MPs have begun calling for a parliamentary inquiry and the immediate compensation of the affected individuals.
Meanwhile, in the political scene, opposition leaders are seizing the moment to highlight what they describe as “systemic failures” under President William Ruto’s administration. Former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, alongside leaders like Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua, have condemned the scandal as yet another example of the regime’s neglect of its citizens.
“This government has turned the hopes of our youth into ashes,” said Karua during a press conference on Tuesday.
The Nairobian will continue following this developing story as more details emerge and calls for justice grow louder across the nation.
In other news:Cabinet Endorses Special Retirement Scheme for Judges
Outrage as Kenyans Deported from Qatar After Government-Backed Job Promise Collapses