A Senate committee has raised concern over the increased job losses in the country. On Monday, Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala put on the spot nine companies that had recently fired 14,000 employees under unclear circumstances.
He asked the Senate Labour committee to examine the reasons behind the same as the government seeks to reduce cases of unemployment among youths.
Malala said that the recent number of people losing their jobs in the country cannot be taken lightly, adding that it is a threat to the economy of this nation.
He challenged the government to create a favourable business environment that will attract more investors into the country as well as encourage the current ones to pump more money into different sectors.
“If we allow these massive business closures and job losses, we should also be ready to shoulder massive cases of depression and suicide as a country,” he said, as quoted by Standard.
Some of the companies on spot are Stanbic Bank, East African Portland Cement Company, Unilever Tea Kenya, Kenya Airways, and Finley Flowers in Kericho and Nakumatt supermarket.
Malala described the current state of affairs as saddening, adding that something must be done with immediate effect lest an employment crisis hits the nation. On his part, Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen said the economy is now performing even worse compared to the time before the handshake.