Labour Mobility and Deconstruction of Kenya Emigration Streams

Macro data collected during the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census was used for analysis of results in this paper. It establishes emigration levels, trends and patterns, and further establishes similarities and contrasts between Kenya’s emigration structure and standard migration schedule (Rogers and Watkins (1987) Age Migration Schedule). The results depict an increase in emigration volumes, with intermittent fluctuations, and a normal distribution migration structure, but heavily-laden at the centre; implying that Kenya’s emigration is majorly labour-force driven.

This study established that emigration by distance, place of destination and time (year) of migration vary by individual movers, but are influenced by the household and/or community of origin, past experience and/or relationship with an earlier emigrant, and prior knowledge (information on) place of destination. It plausibly implies that dispora networks have a positive impact on an emigrant’s decision-making process. To that end, it can be inferred that mobility transition theory explains emigration phenomena in Kenya. In general, emigration structure is found to be gender balanced, but shifting from long-distance to predominantly short-distance mobility; with countries of destination being mainly the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), the East Africa Community partner states, the Middle East countries (United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia), the Republic of South Africa and South Sudan.