The government has sent a strong warning to employers who are not paying their workers the minimum wage as required by law.
Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, while speaking in an interview with Bahari FM on Tuesday, April 15, made it clear that employers who break the law by paying below the minimum wage will face serious legal consequences.
Mwadime explained that the Ministry of Labour is now working closely with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to ensure such employers are punished.
He emphasized that the DPP is well-experienced in legal matters and has agreed to support the ministry in taking action against those who defy the law.
“I had a meeting with the DPP three months ago, and we discussed these issues at length.
The current DPP has a long history in handling prosecutions, so it was easy for us to come up with strategies to deal with employers who break the minimum wage laws,” he stated.
He further added, “The minimum wage is clearly outlined in our constitution and it applies in all parts of the country, both in urban and rural areas.
We will make sure that those who choose to ignore the law and pay their workers less than the required amount are taken to court and held accountable.”
At present, the minimum wage in most industries in Kenya stands at Ksh15,201 per month for full-time employees. However, some sectors may have specific agreements that slightly adjust this figure.
The purpose of the minimum wage is to ensure that workers are paid fairly and can afford a decent standard of living, while also maintaining a healthy balance for economic growth.
The Labour PS also addressed the country’s rising unemployment problem, especially among the youth.
He said that the government is actively seeking solutions and has already started partnerships with other countries to help Kenyans secure employment opportunities abroad.
Mwadime mentioned that Germany is one of the countries that has shown commitment to helping Kenyan workers.
According to him, Germany has agreed to support the process of issuing work permits more quickly, so that Kenyans can travel and begin working in different sectors there.
“Germany has promised to send more staff to their embassy in Kenya to speed up the work permit process,” Mwadime explained.
“They’ve also sent representatives from their Chamber of Commerce who are already equipped with a list of available jobs in various industries.”
In a move to further support Kenyan job seekers, Mwadime said that a Kenyan delegation will be traveling to Germany to conduct a job roadshow.
This roadshow will involve visiting different cities in Germany to gather information about job openings and employment conditions.
“We want to go to Germany as a government team and hold a roadshow,” he said. “We will tour cities, identify available job opportunities, and then return home to inform Kenyan youth about the specific jobs they can apply for.
This is part of our plan to help reduce the high rate of joblessness among young people in Kenya.”
This initiative reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to protect workers’ rights locally while also expanding job opportunities for Kenyans internationally.
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