Kenya Strengthens Seafarer Regulations and Welfare with New Initiatives

According to Kaituko, Kenya currently has 11,000 seafarers working for various companies, as per the latest statistics. The government plans to conduct a census and streamline the sector by ensuring that seafarers produce the Seafarers Identification Document (SID). The Kenya Maritime Authority and the Immigration department have been directed by the president to expedite the production of these documents to properly identify seafarers wherever they are.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has appointed members of the Seafarers Wages Council, with consultations underway to appoint the council’s chairperson. Workers will be represented by COTU representatives Atie Swaleh, David Kibuyu, and Bruno Otiato, while employers will be represented by FKE representatives Naum Tororei, Stephine Obiro, and Bwanaheri Lali. Mutua also nominated Hamisi Banton to represent the Ministry of Labour.

The government recently evacuated some seafarers who were abandoned in Oman, Egypt, and Madagascar by their employers. In a tragic incident, a worker lost his life while working aboard a vessel, with the government assisting in repatriating the body. The PS urged seafarers to engage with registered agencies to avoid compromising their welfare.

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