The Government has committed to addressing labor law gaps to create more jobs for Kenyans.
State Department for Industrialization Permanent Secretary (PS) Juma Mukhawana acknowledges shortcomings in Kenyan labour laws that do not reflect the current digital economy transformation.
“To fully harness Kenya’s potential, the Government acknowledges the need to identify and address challenges that currently inhibit the creation of jobs within the digital sector,” Mukhawana said during a visit to Sama in Nairobi.
“The plan is to work with the industry to create an enabling environment for businesses operating in the digital economy,” he added.
The global business process outsourcing (BPO) market is estimated to be valued at more than $262 billion, with African countries continuing to emerge as the next BPO growth frontiers.
The BPO sector is crucial in developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems that power the automotive, retail, agricultural, and food technology sectors.
“The digital economy is a catalyst for job creation and economic advancement in Kenya. At Sama, with the right operating environment, we have the potential to create thousands of jobs by 2024,” Sama Director of Global Service Delivery Lilian Kiplang’at said.
“We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the Government to develop clear and progressive policies that foster a conducive business environment for the digital economy to ensure it remains competitive on a global scale.”
Sama has been in Kenya for the last 15 years and provides jobs in the country through value chain AI solutions for self-driving cars, virtual reality gaming consoles, fashion segmentation, and agricultural solutions for crop disease protection.
