CAPE TOWN, Jun 10 – Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said that Kenya has the capacity to export labour, and encouraged Kenyans to seek employment and business opportunities outside the country.
He said that Kenya had a huge rewww.capitalfm.co.keir of educated and skilled people which could not be absorbed by the local job market.
Addressing Kenyans living in Cape Town, South Africa on Tuesday Mr Odinga disabused them of the notion that the public service would offer all qualified Kenyans jobs.
He said the public service had about 300,000 positions which are already occupied, adding it would be misleading to promise civil service jobs to the 700,000 Kenyans that join the labour market every year.
“Thousands of Kenyans join the labour market from primary schools, secondary schools, universities and tertiary institutions every year. We are therefore urging those who can find job opportunities outside the country to do so and repatriate earnings back home to help in growing the economy to create more jobs at home,” he said.
Saying the country had set itself the goals of attaining a middle income economy from a struggling third world economy under the vision 2030, the Prime Minister emphasised that every Kenyan was duty bound to contribute to the realisation of the vision.
He stated that under the Vision 2030, the private sector would be made the engine of growth adding qualified people were encouraged to use their skills to set up enterprises create jobs and expand the economy.
Said he: “We are availing credit and creating an enabling environment to entrepreneurs in the country to help the economy grow to realize the vision.”
On the question of dual citizenship, the Premier said he would be vouching for it in the Cabinet, adding the issue was also prominent in the draft constitution.
Mr Odinga called on Kenyans to foster unity amongst them saying all the lofty ideas about development would be futile if people boxed themselves into tribal cocoons.
Said the PM: “We must relegate our tribal origins to the periphery and think as one people. It is primitive for anyone to be discriminated against on account of their ethnicity.
Earlier, at his hotel suite Mr Odinga held talks with Mrs Graca Machel member of the Kofi Annan led panel of eminent persons that brokered peace in Kenya following the post election violence.
The Premier briefed her on the progress made in achieving Agenda Item Four of the agreement that dwelled on long term issues including historical injustices, land issues, equity among others.
