Maraga Questions Kenya’s Labour Exodus as Ruto Defends Global Jobs Plan

Kenya, November 20, 2025 - Former Chief Justice David Maraga has raised fresh concerns over Kenya’s growing labour migration, saying the country is losing too many young people to foreign job markets instead of building opportunities at home.

Maraga warned that Kenya risks repeating a painful part of Africa’s history, the large-scale loss of its people. He said the trend of sending workers abroad may look harmless, but it is slowly draining the country of much-needed talent.

He argued that Kenya should not rely on exporting workers to strengthen the economy, especially when many migrants face abuse, exploitation and difficult working conditions, particularly in the Middle East. “We cannot allow our young people to be shipped off to build other countries while we fail to fix our own economy,” he said.

Maraga, who is positioning himself for the 2027 presidential race, said his government would prioritise job creation at home and protect Kenyans from unsafe foreign recruitment practices. He also linked the current situation to corruption and poor governance, which he believes have limited local job opportunities.

His comments come as labour migration continues to divide opinion nationally. Critics say Kenya is losing skilled workers and weakening its workforce, while others point to repeated cases of mistreatment of Kenyans in Gulf countries.