American trucking heavyweight Werner Enterprises has officially dismissed claims that it is hiring Kenyan truck drivers for jobs in the United States.
The clarification comes after heated debate following the signing of a Labour Mobility and Diaspora Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Kenyan government and the U.S. State of Nebraska.
Werner, a freight and logistics company headquartered in Nebraska, issued a firm statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, September 10, denying any involvement in recruitment drives.
“Werner has not signed or even discussed any agreement for the recruitment of Kenyan truck drivers to the United States. Any claims suggesting otherwise are false,” the company stated, seeking to put an end to growing speculation.
The announcement came after a wave of online backlash, especially from Nebraskans who were concerned that foreign workers would take over lucrative trucking jobs.
Tensions had been building since reports emerged in 2024 that Werner executives met with a Kenyan delegation in Omaha. The visit, aimed at strengthening ties between Kenya and Nebraska, included a stop at Werner’s headquarters — but no recruitment deal was ever made public.
Speculation intensified on September 4, when Nebraska’s Secretary of State Bob Evnen travelled to Nairobi and signed the labour mobility MoU with Roseline Njogu, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs.
The deal, witnessed by President William Ruto, was celebrated as a landmark in creating legal job opportunities for Kenyans in vital sectors such as transport and healthcare.
During the signing, Evnen remarked, “We have commercial truck drivers already who are being trained, partially in Kenya, and then they complete their training in Nebraska.”
His comments, though not directly linked to Werner, fuelled assumptions on social media that the company would be at the centre of the employment programme.
The MoU, however, does not name any specific American trucking companies. So far, no U.S.-based employer has confirmed participation in the initiative.
Nonetheless, the agreement is seen as a response to the labour shortages currently affecting many U.S. industries, with Kenya viewed as a strong partner due to its pool of skilled, hardworking professionals.
Evnen also revealed that the Nebraska-Kenya partnership would likely expand beyond trucking. He hinted at opportunities in medical and nursing professions, saying, “We have a commission now, a committee that has established a process under which we can explore further labour mobility fields.”
Echoing this, PS Roseline Njogu stressed that the deal was about creating real opportunities for Kenyans while addressing America’s workforce gaps.
“This labour mobility and diaspora support MoU will see Kenyan talent take up jobs in Nebraska, especially in critical sectors facing shortages. At the same time, it will strengthen ties between Kenya, Nebraska, and the United States as a whole,” she affirmed.
While Werner has distanced itself from the debate, the labour mobility agreement continues to spark discussion — both in Kenya and the U.S. — about the role of international partnerships in solving global labour shortages.
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