Kenya's Parliament is considering a major step toward strengthening workers' rights by granting legal recognition to remote workers, who have so far remained outside the country's employment law framework.
Spearheaded by MP Kimani Ichung'wah, the proposal forms part of an amendment to the Employment Act. The new Clause 10 would introduce an official definition of remote work and require employers to provide employees with the equipment and internet connectivity needed to perform their duties remotely.
The initiative also aims to better protect remote workers from common abuses, including the lack of social protection, unpaid overtime, and unfair dismissals without legal recourse. Employers would also be required to comply with occupational health and safety standards, including for workspaces set up in employees' homes.
According to Kimani Ichung'wah, Kenya's labor legislation is no longer suited to the realities of today's job market.
"The old Employment Act was built around a physical workplace model. Today, with the rise of remote work and business process outsourcing, it is no longer necessary to have a physical office address—or even a formal appointment letter—to carry out professional activities," he said.
A Rapidly Expanding Sector
The proposal comes as remote work and the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry continue to grow rapidly in Kenya.
According to UK-based platform BPO Search, Kenya's BPO market is expected to reach $272.1 million in 2025, growing at an annual rate of nearly 6%, while already supporting more than 40,000 jobs. International companies such as Teleperformance, CCI Global, and Samasource have expanded their operations in the country, attracted by its skilled English-speaking workforce and competitive labor costs.
More broadly, Kenya's digital economy is projected to contribute nearly 10% of GDP, equivalent to approximately $23 billion, by 2027.
Despite this growth, digital workers remain insufficiently protected. A report published by the World Economic Forumin September 2025 found that workers on digital platforms are still largely excluded from the legal protections governing employment rights, workplace injuries, and social security.
The bill will now be debated in Parliament before any potential adoption. Its final scope—including whether it will extend to digital platform workers and freelancers—has yet to be determined.
