West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor and Nominated Senator George Mbugua have been elected as Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee Chairperson and Vice Chairperson respectively.
Senator Murgor defeated Nominated Senator Crystal Asige by garnering five votes against three while Senator Mbugua was unanimously chosen by all the members to assume the leadership of the committee in an election held at the Parliament building.
The Committee Chairman said that the committee's priority is to look at the welfare of Kenyans, especially those working outside the country under difficult conditions to ensure that their concerns are addressed in order to alleviate more suffering in future.
"Our first engagement as a committee is to look at the welfare of Kenyans, especially those working in the Middle East where deaths and torture cases have been reported in the recent past, we are going to look at whether Kenyans are treated well in those countries," said Murgor.
Nominated Senator Miraj Abdulrahman called members to investigate the conduct of agencies that were facilitating Kenyans to move to the Middle East since most of them were duping citizens through their hidden contracts and later end up suffering in the foreign land.
Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo called on their leadership to avoid being bipartisan and ensure that they address issues affecting citizens who are mostly working under difficult conditions with the committee supposed to liaise with the government to ensure it achieves its agenda.
Madzayo said the committee should address Youth affairs they are the backbone of the country and something needs to be done to empower them economically so that they can effectively participate in nation-building activities while sure their interests are safeguarded.
"Our committee is tasked to look at Labour issues, Youth Affairs and Sports which are very key to any nation that wants to prosper, that is why every one of us should effectively play his role to ensure the government delivers on its promise to empower these sectors," said Madzayo.
Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki said that they need to look at the plight of soccer in the country with the banning of the country by FIFA due to government interference in the management of the Football Kenya Federation with the need to engage stakeholders.
Senator Asige conceded defeat and asked the leadership to be fair in dealing with all members whether they come from the ruling coalition or the opposition since at the moment their role was to look at the light of Kenyans who needed protection from those taking advantage of them.
Senators Okongo Omogeni (Nyamira), Alexander Mundigi (Embu) and Karen Nyamu (Nominated) said that the committee had the great responsibility of ensuring the Welfare of Kenyans is safeguarded and promised to support their Chairperson.
enyarangi@standardmedia.co.ke