This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On September 17, 2019, Kenya took a significant step towards ending the exploitation of seafarers by initiating the process of reviewing their pay and working agreements, which had not been done for almost three decades.
The move aims to develop new laws and regulations to govern the sector, with the goal of ending the extreme poor working conditions of over 7,000 registered seafarers.
According to Nancy Karigithu, the Maritime and Shipping Affairs PS, seafarers are the human face of the maritime sector and work in physically and mentally draining conditions, necessitating better remuneration.
"As we work to make gains on a number of Blue Economy projects in the country, thousands of seafarers who are subjected to different terms and conditions of service in tankers, cruise ships, fishing vessels, and cargo ships need to be motivated, that is why we are working on these regulations," said Ms Karigithu.
The new agreement will ensure that all seafarers are paid the recommended salary according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) minimum pay of Sh85,000, as opposed to the current Sh18,000 a month.
Ms Karigithu also emphasized the need to set internationally accepted safety nets, reliable payment wages, and ensure seafarers work with recommended eight hours a day, unless they are paid over time.
Furthermore, the government aims to address bottlenecks that have hindered local investors from owning ships, which would create more sea jobs and make the environment conducive for foreigners to bring their ships to be registered in Kenya.
Acting Labour Commissioner Geoffrey Omondi noted that the Labour Institutions Act of 2007 has not adequately addressed remuneration of seafarers and determination of minimum wages, and that there is no clear regulatory structure of wages and employment for the sector.
