List of State Corporations Hiring Workers Over the Last 6 Months – International Edition
- The labor market in Kenya has been finding it difficult to keep up with businesses over the past several years, particularly during President William Ruto's tenure.
- Several businesses have had to furlough employees due to increased governmental taxation, affecting their operational capabilities.
- Meanwhile, several state-owned enterprises have started recruiting employees, indicating a somewhat conflicting picture of the labor market in Kenya.
Boniface Kanyamwaya, who works as a journalist for Diwida.co.ke, possesses over ten years of experience in areas such as finance, economics, business, markets, and aviation. He offers valuable analysis on both Kenyan and international developments.
The employment landscape in Kenya has shown varied responses following President William Ruto's assumption of office after his victory in the 2022 General Election.
Despite certain businesses dismissing employees because of challenging economic conditions exacerbated by elevated taxation and rising prices, governmental organizations are hiring staff.
The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) recently reported that job losses in Kenya can be attributed to rising inflation and increased taxation under the present government. According to their findings, these factors have adversely affected payroll management and decreased overall wage demands, resulting in numerous businesses closing down.
"Since the onset of Covid-19, we have not fully returned to our previous trajectory. Daily, we receive communications from employers indicating their plans for layoffs," stated FKE in a recently viewed press release. Diwida |.co.ke.
In this challenging climate, which state-owned enterprises have retained employees?
1. KenGen
The Kenya Electricity Generating Company Plc (KenGen) is seeking to recruit senior managers to fill vacancies left by former staff members. In an advertisement placed in one of the local dailies on Tuesday, March 25, KenGen said that interested applicants must visit the KenGen Career portal to submit their applications.
2. Teachers Service Commission
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) announced 2,014 job openings to fill gaps left by departing educators due to normal turnover. As stated in their announcement posted on MyGov on Tuesday, May 6, among these roles, 1,309 will be for primary schools, 32 for lower-level institutions, and the remaining 673 for high school teachers.
3. The Kenya Institute of Media Communications (KIMC)
The organization extended an invitation for applications from individuals with KCSE qualifications as well as certificates to take up various roles. KIMC mentioned that those selected would receive three-month contracts, and potential applicants were advised to submit their forms by April 11. The vacancies available at this government-run entity include spots for chefs, gardeners, housekeepers, and administrative assistants.
Various governmental bodies such as Kenya Power, the Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency, and the Kenya Revenue Authority, along with several others, have declared new employment opportunities.
President Ruto directs employers to enforce a minimum wage hike of at least 6%.
On Thursday, May 1, President Ruto instructed employers to promptly proceed with implementing the minimum wage hike of at least 6%.
An instruction to raise employees' wages by 6% was issued last year, yet it hasn't been put into effect. The minimum wage refers to the least sum of money an employer must provide to a worker for services rendered over a certain timeframe.
President Ruto also stated that to enhance employees' net salaries, employers must now apply allowable tax relief and exemptions directly during the calculation of Pay As You Earn (PAYE).
He stated this would mark a considerable change from the present system, wherein these benefits could solely be requested through the Kenya Revenue Authority. The switch aims to boost efficiency and provide immediate advantages to workers.
