Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has formally written to the Senate, urging it to take disciplinary action against nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba, accusing her of spreading misinformation about his involvement in a controversial foreign jobs programme.
Speaking during an interview on Spice FM, CS Mutua said, “Senator Gloria Orwoba might actually be impeached for spreading lies about me.” He claimed that Orwoba’s allegations—linking him to fake diaspora job scams—are unfounded and politically motivated.
The Labour CS defended the overseas job initiative during a recent appearance before the Senate Labour Committee, insisting the programme is legitimate, though it has faced logistical setbacks. “Some have waited for months, but others have successfully secured employment abroad,” Mutua said, dismissing claims of government-led fraud.
Senator Orwoba, however, remains a vocal critic. In an April 2 Senate session, she called on President William Ruto to fire Mutua, accusing him of incompetence and turning a blind eye to escalating job scams targeting desperate Kenyan youth.
Orwoba has alleged that some victims were defrauded right from the Ministry of Labour offices while seeking overseas opportunities.
Mutua, in response, questioned the origins of the criticism, controversially noting that most complaints come from “one community,” whom he claimed had been incited by a political figure. “This is a great community,” he said. “Why are they making noise?”
He also distanced the government from unlicensed recruitment agencies, revealing he had submitted a list of 153 rogue firms to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for action. He emphasized that the government either refunds fees or offers alternative jobs to those who paid through official channels but failed to travel.
Mutua reaffirmed that new measures are being implemented to expedite job placements for Kenyans abroad, giving them a competitive edge.
As the Senate now considers the CS’s request for action against Orwoba, the clash underscores growing political tension around Kenya’s foreign employment drive—a lifeline for many, but increasingly fraught with controversy.