Government clarifies labor agreement with Germany, dismisses claims of 250,000 jobs

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu speaking during a previous event at the Moi Stadium. [Muriithi Mugo, Standard]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that the labor agreement with Germany does not set a predefined limit on the number of workers who can move there.

Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu made this clarification on Sunday after the German government dismissed as fake, reports claiming that 250,000 Kenyans would secure jobs in the country.

"Unlike traditional quota-based bilateral labor agreements, this new agreement focuses on creating a framework for matching Kenyan talent to German labor market needs," Njogu stated.

President William Ruto, in an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), mentioned that a total of 250,000 Kenyans could be expected to get jobs in Germany following the agreement's signing.

However, the Germant government made a statement on X, saying that this information was false.

"This information is clearly false. The agreement between Germany and Kenya does not include any numbers or quotas of skilled workers who will have the opportunity to work in Germany. All applicants must fulfill the strict requirements of the German Skilled Immigration Act," said Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Njogu added that the agreement aims to provide a framework for cooperation and information exchange on labor mobility, apprenticeships, student training, labor market needs, employment and worker welfare, as well as readmission and return policies.

"This innovative agreement seeks to create a dynamic framework for immigration by aligning the skills and talents of Kenyan professionals with the labor market needs of employers in Germany," Njogu concluded.