Ministry of Labour

Kenyan government agency responsible for labour policy and employment matters, cited in coverage of human trafficking enforcement, wage standards, and labour disputes.

2026-05-012026-10-21

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Ministry of Labour

Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

October 2026
9 OctCapital News
… The 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report said Kenyan authorities investigated three Ministry of Labour officials suspected of accepting bribes to facilitate potential trafficking involving migrant workers travelling to the Middle East, but highlighted broader concerns over alleged …
US report flags Kenya’s failure to act on officials linked to human trafficking
9 OctCapital News
… The government investigated three Ministry of Labour officials suspected of accepting bribes to facilitate potential trafficking crimes involving migrant workers travelling to the Middle East. …
Kenya identifies more trafficking victims but convictions plunge, US report finds
7 OctThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeThe government has opened negotiations with university lecturers’ unions as their strike entered its third day, with a conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour leading efforts to resolve the dispute over the 2025-29 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). …
State launches fresh CBA talks as lecturers' strike enters day three
6 OctCitizen Digital
… The committee urged the Ministry of Labour and the Nairobi County Government to take an active role in planning, while highlighting the need for direct coordination with security agencies and the fire department to bolster emergency preparedness. …
Senate Committee demands targeted upgrades for Nyayo Stadium
September 2026
24 SeptThe Standard
… Oguwi said the union had received communication from the Ministry of Labour asking it to suspend the strike pending negotiations, but rejected the request unless its key demands were addressed. …
TVET trainers maintain strike threat as they demand action on grievances
16 SeptThe Standard
… safeguards to protect workers’ rights and dignity.Speaking during the fourth Annual Employment and Labour Relations Symposium and Exhibition (ELRASE IV) at Strathmore University, Mudavadi said Kenyans should confirm overseas employment opportunities through the Ministry of Labour …
Mudavadi urges Kenyans to verify overseas jobs
August 2026
6 AugThe Standard
… Speaking at State House, Nairobi, during a meeting with private security guards on Thursday, August 6, Ruto directed the Private Security Regulatory Authority, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour to work together to enforce compliance across the sector."Every Keny …
Ruto orders security firms to pay minimum wage, warns of crackdown
July 2026
22 JulCapital News
… COGWU noted that consultations involving the State Department for Devolution, SRC, the Ministry of Labour, the State Department for Public Service, the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), the Office of the Attorney General and the union had already established a …
County workers threaten nationwide strike over delayed CBAs
2 JulThe Standard
… es, strengthen oversight of recruitment agencies and improve the welfare of Kenyan seafarers, arguing that local workers continue to earn less than foreign counterparts despite performing the same duties.SUK Secretary General Atie Swaleh Ramadhan criticised the Ministry of Labour …
Policy hurdles hurt Kenyan's bid to explore opportunities in maritime
2 JulThe Standard
… es, strengthen oversight of recruitment agencies and improve the welfare of Kenyan seafarers, arguing that local workers continue to earn less than foreign counterparts despite performing the same duties.SUK Secretary General Atie Swaleh Ramadhan criticised the Ministry of Labour …
Policy hurdles hurt Kenyan's bid to explore opportunities in maritime

Politics

US report cites Kenya's inaction on trafficking-linked officials

The News

A 2026 US Trafficking in Persons Report warns that Kenya has failed to take meaningful enforcement action against public officials and recruitment agencies allegedly linked to human trafficking, citing corruption and official complicity as obstacles to prosecution and noting that authorities investigated three Ministry of Labour officials suspected of accepting bribes but pursued lesser offences against suspected trafficking agencies.

9 October 2026 · Capital News →

Friday 9 October

US report cites Kenya's inaction on trafficking-linked officials
A 2026 US Trafficking in Persons Report warns that Kenya has failed to take meaningful enforcement action against public officials and recruitment agencies allegedly linked to human trafficking, citing corruption and official complicity as obstacles to prosecution and noting that authorities investigated three Ministry of Labour officials suspected of accepting bribes but pursued lesser offences against suspected trafficking agencies.
9 October 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya convictions of traffickers plunge 70 percent despite more victims identified
Kenya convicted six human traffickers under its anti-trafficking law in 2025, down from 21 in 2024, while prosecutions fell from 44 cases to 14, according to a US State Department report. The report noted the government identified more trafficking victims and retained its Tier 2 ranking, but cited concerns about official complicity, declining enforcement efforts, and limited protection services.
9 October 2026 · Capital News →

Wednesday 7 October

Government launches CBA negotiations as university lecturers strike continues
The government has opened negotiations with university lecturers' unions over the 2025-29 Collective Bargaining Agreement, with a conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour leading talks involving UASU, KUSU, and other unions as the strike enters its third day.
7 October 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 6 October

Senate committee urges Nyayo Stadium upgrades for AFCON
Kenya's Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has called for targeted upgrades at Nyayo National Stadium ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, after a site inspection found critical gaps in areas including civil works, occupational health and safety, accessibility, and security measures.
6 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 24 September

TVET trainers set strike for October 2 over curriculum changes
Technical and vocational education trainers maintained their strike notice set for October 2, citing grievances including the recent introduction of a new curriculum (Circular 4) mid-term. The Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers said it is open to negotiations but will not suspend the strike without concrete action on its demands, including withdrawal of the current curriculum.
24 September 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 16 September

Mudavadi urges Kenyans to verify overseas job offers
Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has urged Kenyans seeking employment abroad to verify every job offer through official government channels, warning that unverified offers can expose jobseekers to trafficking, exploitation and armed conflicts. Kenya has entered labour arrangements with the UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Germany, Austria and Italy.
16 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 6 August

Ruto orders compliance with minimum wage for security guards
President Ruto directed government agencies and private security companies to ensure guards are paid the statutory minimum wage, including implementation of a 15 per cent increase announced on Labour Day. He warned that some employers have ignored the directive and some guards earn as little as Sh6,000, which he called unlawful and inhumane.
6 August 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 22 July

County workers union threatens nationwide strike over CBAs
The County Government Workers Union-Kenya has threatened a nationwide strike if County Public Service Boards fail to seek mandatory approvals from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to facilitate signing and implementation of pending collective bargaining agreements, citing delayed wage progression and underpayment of thousands of county employees.
22 July 2026 · Capital News →

Thursday 2 July

Seafarers Union warns policy gaps leave Kenyan workers vulnerable
The Seafarers Union of Kenya has warned that Kenya's maritime employment sector is being undermined by the absence of a national wage structure and weak labour protections. The union is pushing for comprehensive legislation to standardise wages, strengthen oversight of recruitment agencies, and improve welfare for Kenyan seafarers, saying local workers earn less than foreign counterparts performing the same duties.
2 July 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's seafarers face exploitation due to absent wage standards
The Seafarers Union of Kenya warns that the absence of a national wage structure and weak labour protections are undermining Kenyan seafarers' employment opportunities abroad. The union is pushing for comprehensive legislation to standardise wages, strengthen recruitment agency oversight, and improve welfare protections, noting that Kenyan workers earn less than foreign counterparts for the same duties.
2 July 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 19 June

High Court orders vetting of recruitment agencies for Middle East jobs
The High Court directed the government to vet all licensed local recruitment agencies involved in sourcing jobs abroad, rejecting a blanket suspension on labour migration to the Middle East as impractical. The court declined to order the immediate evacuation of migrant workers facing abuse or exploitation but ordered the government to facilitate the repatriation of Lucy Ngana's body at State expense and file a progress report within three months.
19 June 2026 · Capital News →
High Court orders vetting of job recruitment agencies
Kenya's High Court has ordered the government to immediately vet all local employment recruitment agencies to protect Kenyans seeking jobs in the Middle East, while declining to impose a blanket suspension on labour migration to the region. The court rejected a request for immediate evacuation and repatriation of all Kenyan migrant workers facing abuse, finding such an order too broad and impractical.
19 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Friday 12 June

Kenya clarifies no new Kuwait ban on domestic workers
The Ministry of Labour says recent media reports misinterpreted a Kuwaiti communication about recruitment procedures; Kenya has voluntarily suspended domestic worker deployment to Kuwait for nearly a decade, a position that remains in effect.
12 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya denies new ban on workers in Kuwait
Kenya's Ministry of Labour says Kuwait has not imposed a new restriction on Kenyan workers, clarifying that Kenya voluntarily suspended deployment of domestic workers to Kuwait about a decade ago and this status remains unchanged. The ministry noted that Kenya and Kuwait are in consultations to develop a bilateral framework for the domestic labour sector, and restrictions apply only to domestic workers, not other Kenyan professionals.
12 June 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 4 May

Security guards want regulator disbanded over pay enforcement
Private security guards are calling for the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) to be disbanded, claiming it shields security firms from adhering to labour laws and has failed to enforce a Sh30,000 minimum wage gazetted in November 2024. Representatives of the Kenya National Private Security Workers Union and Protective Guards Association of Kenya say the 12 per cent wage increment announced by President William Ruto during Labour Day celebrations amounts to nothing without PSRA enforcement.
4 May 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 1 May

Atwoli calls on IEBC to curb premature political rallies
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to move swiftly to curb escalating premature political rallies, warning that unchecked political activity could destabilise the country and hurt workers the most.
1 May 2026 · Capital News →
Atwoli demands Ruto fast-track labour treaty ratification
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has pressured President William Ruto to accelerate ratification of ILO Conventions 189 and 190, which protect domestic workers and address workplace violence and harassment, noting that the President previously committed to advancing the ratification process during the 2025 Labour Day celebrations but little progress has been made.
1 May 2026 · Capital News →