CS Mutua calls for end to sexual harassment in workplaces

Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua speaks at Uhuru Gardens on May 1, 2025.Photo/screengrab.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has called for an end to sexual harassment in workplaces, urging managers to foster safe and respectful environments for all employees.

Speaking during Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Mutua said his office has receive numerous complaints about harassment, warning that the unethical trend must stop.

“I receive many reports in my office about sexual harassment in workplaces,” he said.

The CS stressed the need to discourage inappropriate conduct and explicitly urged managers to stop engaging in sexual relationships with junior staff.

“When a young woman is hired as a supervisor, you should not start seducing her,” Mutua said. “A manager should not be dating a junior employee in the same office.”

He praised Kenyan workers for their dedication, resilience, and vital role in building the nation.

“As we push for safe, fair, and inclusive workplaces, my ministry remains committed to protecting workers’ rights, expanding job opportunities, and fostering dignity in all forms of work, both locally and abroad,” Mutua said.

At the same time, Mutua highlighted the government’s efforts to create more overseas jobs, saying they have closed loopholes previously exploited by rogue agents.

“We have a program called ‘Kazi Mtandaoni,’ which you (President Ruto) have launched, and by 2022, we had approximately 2 million Kenyans working in digital-enabled jobs — and the numbers are growing,” he said.

Mutua told the president that the ministry is working intensely to ensure the labor sector plays its full role in driving Kenya’s development, in line with the president’s ambitious economic plan.

“We need to have a conversation about social media to see how we can redirect our energies from negativity to positivity, so that we don’t keep pulling each other down,” he added.