Wetang'ula urges Germany to champion humane migration

 Speaker Moses Wetangula when he met Members of the Germany Committee on Foreign Affairs. [Parliamnet, X]

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called on Germany to use its influence within the European Union to promote coordinated, humane and sustainable migration responses amid growing global immigration challenges.

Speaking at Parliament Buildings during a meeting with Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs from the German Parliament, Wetangula raised concern over harsh immigration policies being witnessed in parts of the world, citing cases in the United States, including Minnesota, where immigrants are reportedly subjected to indiscriminate deportations.

“Kenya implores Germany to robustly leverage its influential voice within the European Union to promote coordinated, humane and sustainable migration responses across Europe and beyond, in the interest of global order,” said Wetang’ula.

He urged the German delegation, led by Deputy Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Derya Turk-Nachbaur, to prioritise urgent global issues affecting peace and stability, noting that parliaments have a critical role in shaping forward-looking immigration policies.

The Speaker also called for the expedited implementation of the Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between Kenya and Germany, which came into force in September 2024.

He said the framework is key to facilitating structured employment opportunities for skilled Kenyan professionals in Germany while addressing labour market needs.

At the same time, he emphasised the importance of strengthening parliamentary diplomacy to enhance cooperation in education, technology, agriculture, security and trade, thereby deepening bilateral and multilateral relations.

Addressing global conflicts, Wetangula condemned what he termed as inhumane treatment of immigrants in the US and atrocities in Palestine, calling on Germany to speak out against such actions.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right. We must speak not only of World War II but also of the Gaza genocide,” he said.

Ms. Turk-Nachbaur noted that Kenya remains a regional economic pillar and a stabilising force, citing its strong constitutional framework, devolution gains and political maturity.

Members of Kenya’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, led by Nelson Koech, called for continued collaboration, while criticising the silence over immigrant suffering and urged greater engagement to share legislative experiences and strategies.