Kenya To Send 1,500 Workers To Israel With Ksh230,000 Salary
The announcement comes against the backdrop of the war in the country which has left about 16,000 people dead since October 7, 2023.
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The Kenyan government on Wednesday, December 6 inked a deal with Israel that will see the former send 1,500 farm workers to the latter country on a three-year contract, despite an ongoing conflict with Hamas.
The Ministry of Labour through Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime announced the agreement while meeting delegates from Israel in Nairobi. The Israel team was led by Rami Cohen who is the Managing Director for Guri Avocados.
The Kenyan government revealed that the opportunities number about 1,500 with a guaranteed net income of 1,500 USD per month, translating to Ksh230,025 on current exchange rates.
Principal Secretary for Labour Shadrack Mwadime (right) with MD of Guri Avocados from Israel, Rami Cohen on December 6, 2023. /MINISTRY OF LABOUR
“Kenyan to export labour for Israel's agriculture fields as casual workers. These emerged following bilateral discussion between PS Mwadime and MD of Guri Avocados from Israel, Mr Rami Cohen today,” read the statement posted on X.
Only recruiting agencies accredited by the National Employment Authority (NEA) will be allowed to recruit the labourers. Furthermore, the President of the Kenya Chamber of Commerce Eric Rutto was present in the job negotiations.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of the war in the country which has left about 16,000 people dead since October 7, 2023.
Reports also indicate that more than 10,000 migrant farm workers, mostly Thailand nationals have left Israel with about 32 Thai nationals killed.
Israel has also barred Palestinian workers, who made up nearly 20 per cent of the agricultural labour force before the war. CNN reported last week that the country needed 30,000-40,000 farm workers.
On Tuesday, November 14, Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o urged Kenya and the African Union (AU) in general to immediately cut diplomatic ties with Israel, which he accused of planning to scale up attacks on Gaza and the West Bank which could worsen what is viewed as a dire humanitarian crisis.
"It is now clear that Zionist Israel, much against the interest of all progressive forces in the Arab world and Israel Herself, is planning a major bloody invasion of Gaza and the West Bank sooner rather than later. This will worsen the already grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank," Nyong'o addressed in his letter to the AU, in which Kenya is also a member state.
"We would like to appeal to the African Union to call upon all its member governments to immediately break diplomatic relations with Israel in solidarity with our comrades in Gaza and the West Bank."
President William Ruto weighed in on the Israel-Palestine conflict during a Saturday meeting of African leaders with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital Riyadh, stating that Kenya believes neither terrorism nor occupation is the answer to any conflict, which is viewed as an apparent change of heart from his previous stand on the Israel-Palestine war.
On Sunday, October 7, the Head of State issued a strong condemnation of the attack by Hamas, terming them as acts of terrorism that pose a significant threat to international peace.
Nevertheless, the new deal with Israel comes barely a month after President Ruto promised that "We want to export at least 3,000 Kenyans every week to go work worldwide and change their livelihoods and Kenya."
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