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{
    "id": 1181267,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1181267/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 307,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "the actual plan to ensure that we do not have Kenyans going out to seek for jobs? We must create jobs. That has to be an end to end thing. You have to understand that Saudi Arabia is in that position because they have created so many jobs through their industries that they are importing labour. So, how do we do that, as Kenyans? Finally, I was presented with a case three months ago. They reached out to me and said that there is a Kisii lady who is stuck in Saudi Arabia and the agents allegedly were not offering help. I put this out to leaders, before you jump in and start castigating the agencies by trying to play politics with it so that you can look like you are the person who is saving the person on the other side, you must ask questions. The first thing I asked is why is she still there and when did her contract end? I was told her contract ended nine to 10 months ago. I asked when her contract ended nine to 10 months ago, what happened? Did her parents, guardians or whoever sent her, find out why they have not come back home? This is where the story started to become complicated. Eventually, when we unearthed the whole story, it was very simple. The agents have contracts with employees. When they leave the country, they go on contracts. This does not apply to all of them. I am talking about some of the cases that have not been highlighted. When they reach there, they finish their contract and they try to get on under the table deal with the employer directly to remove the agent. The moment that is allowed, the employer then understands that this worker is no longer protected and no longer belongs to an agency. Therefore, they can do whatever they want to do with the worker. This is where the stories start going south. The first thing that we also have to ask is, at the point of the end of the contract, what expectations do we have from the agents and the worker? For instance, on issues of licensing, if your contracts are ending at a certain period, then as an agent it should be your responsibility to ensure that the person has come back home. If they refuse to come back home, this is the point where you report to the agencies. If Gloria Orwoba has gone to Saudi Arabia to work through an agent and my contract ends, I should not think that I could make more money by engaging an employer directly and extending my stay without papers. My agent should immediately reports me to the Kenyan Embassy to be tracked because I am staying there illegally and must be removed. If that person does not want to be removed, they will be held accountable when they come to report that they are being mistreated. Kenyans must now see why it is dangerous to remain in a country without a contract. We must also look at it from the other side. There are so many agents who are genuine and are providing opportunities to Kenyans, fairly, respectfully and with security. However, there are the rogue agents who do not care. Those are the ones we should be targeting. Any agent who is seeking a renewal of their license, should be held accountable by stating the number of people they have taken abroad and how many have come back. If an agent states that there are people who have not come back, they should state what they did about it. They should be asked whether they reported it to the Kenyan Embassy for it to be recorded as a statistic. The agents should"
}