Kenya is sending Kiswahili language teachers to Qatar, bringing the number of Kenyans in the Gulf state to 75,000.
The teachers will join nurses and security personnel currently preparing to work in Qatar under an existing labour agreement between Nairobi and Doha.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Diaspora and Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi made the announcement on Tuesday when he received Qatar’s Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed al-Enazi in his office.
The two discussed ways to enhance opportunities for Kenyan workers in Qatar. The talks highlighted the potential for skilled Kenyans to not only improve their livelihoods but also contribute to Kenya’s economic growth through remittances.
“Since 2024, Qatar has employed 7,000 Kenyans, bringing the total to 75,000. I urged the ambassador to expand these opportunities, including roles for Kiswahili teachers,” Mudavadi said on a post X.
Mr Mudavadi said that Qatar had recently recruited 200 Kenyans, ranging from high school graduates to university graduates, into its national police force.
The latest development is in line with the Kenyan government's broader labour export programme, announced in November 2024, which aims to send one million Kenyans abroad annually to address the country's rising unemployment, particularly among the youth.
But the programme has been criticised, with concerns raised about the potential exploitation of Kenyan workers abroad, particularly in regions with poor labour protection laws. In the past, there have been reports of abuse and, in some cases, deaths of Kenyan migrant workers in questionable circumstances.
During Tuesday’s discussions, Mr Mudavadi invited Qatari business leaders to the World Chambers Congress, set to take place in Nairobi from April 9-11. He described the congress as an excellent opportunity for international visitors to explore Kenya’s dynamic business environment.
The Prime CS also announced plans to relocate the Foreign Ministerial meeting from Nairobi to Doha in November 2025.
In October, Kenya and Qatar agreed to set up a Qatar Visa Centre in Nairobi to streamline the export of labour to the Gulf state, as well as a new station to ensure that job contracts are properly signed.
According to Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, the two countries started bilateral talks aimed at finalising a new memorandum that will allow for the deployment of skilled Kenyan workers to the Gulf state.
