Engineers push for 10,000 jobs in petition to State
The petition outlined sector-specific job creation proposals, including 1,500 positions in the road sector through proper deployment of resident engineers, 2,000 in the energy sector if local companies are prioritised, and 4,000 in the affordable housing programme.
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has urged the government to create at least 10,000 jobs for unemployed engineers, warning that more than half of the country’s qualified professionals are currently without employment.
Eng. Shammah Kiteme, president of IEK, led a peaceful march on Wednesday to highlight what members described as a growing crisis in the engineering sector.
They accused some foreign firms of sidelining Kenyan engineers or offering them poor pay while benefiting from government-funded projects.
“We have the skills, but our own government is bypassing us in favor of foreigners. Kenyan engineers must not be left to languish in unemployment while outsiders take charge of our national projects,” Eng. Kiteme said.
The petition outlined sector-specific job creation proposals, including 1,500 positions in the road sector through proper deployment of resident engineers, 2,000 in the energy sector if local companies are prioritised, and 4,000 in the affordable housing programme.
Additional opportunities could include 1,000 jobs in the water sector, 500 in aviation through airport expansion, and another 1,000 in agriculture, irrigation, and railway projects.
IEK also demanded strict enforcement of policies to ensure local engineers are fully included and fairly compensated in state projects.
The institution warned that outsourcing expertise without leveraging local talent undermines sustainable development.
“Kenya cannot achieve sustainable development by outsourcing expertise while neglecting its own professionals. We need structural reforms to protect engineers and guarantee fair labor practices,” the petition stated.
In addition, IEK called for an audit of foreign firms operating in the country to confirm compliance with labour laws.
Companies found underpaying, dismissing engineers without due compensation, or misusing professional licenses should face penalties, the engineers argued.
If implemented, IEK says these measures would create more than 10,000 jobs while boosting the capacity of local professionals to contribute to national development projects.
