By Afrireport 
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has played down concerns over brain drain.
He said Kenya’s growing labour mobility partnership with Germany is structured, mutually beneficial, and designed to strengthen not weaken the country’s workforce.
Speaking during a forum on foreign employment and diaspora engagement.
Mudavadi said the movement of skilled and semi skilled Kenyan workers abroad should not be viewed as a loss, but as a strategic opportunity anchored in bilateral agreements.
He noted that Kenya and Germany have invested heavily in frameworks that ensure orderly recruitment, skills recognition, and protection of Kenyan workers.
According to Mudavadi, the Kenya–Germany labour mobility arrangement targets specific sectors facing shortages in Europe. These sectors include healthcare, technical trades, hospitality, and engineering. The arrangement simultaneously expands skills development at home.
He said workers who gain international exposure often return with enhanced expertise, savings and global networks that benefit the local economy.
The narrative that labour mobility automatically translates to brain drain is outdated,” Mudavadi said, adding that Kenya is positioning itself as a global talent hub. He emphasized that remittances from Kenyans abroad continue to be one of the country’s top foreign exchange earners, supporting households, education, healthcare and entrepreneurship.
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The Prime Cabinet Secretary further explained that the partnership includes safeguards to prevent exploitation, such as standardized contracts, pre departure training, language preparation, and government to government oversight.
He said this approach distinguishes structured labour mobility from irregular migration, which exposes young people to risks and abuse.
Mudavadi also revealed that the government is aligning technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions with international labour market demands.
This, he said ensures that Kenya produces more skilled workers than it exports, creating a sustainable pipeline that supports both domestic growth and overseas employment.
He urged young Kenyans to view international work opportunities as part of a broader career pathway rather than a permanent exit.
At the same time, he called on the private sector and counties to tap into diaspora skills through return programmes, short term assignments, and investment incentives.
As global competition for talent intensifies, Mudavadi maintained that Kenya’s focus is not on restricting movement, but on managing it strategically to deliver long term national gains.
