Labour Day: Why Domestic Work Must Be Formalised in Kenya

On Friday, May 1, 2026, during the celebration of Labour Day in Kenya, Triza Kimani, an expert in labour outsourcing, made further calls for the formalization of domestic labour, noting that the informal status quo within the industry had led to inefficiencies within the entire industry.

Speaking during the “Fixing The Nation” morning show on Nation FM, hosted by Mariam Bishar and Eric Latiff, Kimani highlighted structural gaps that have persisted for decades.

Kimani observed that domestic labour in Kenya has historically been characterised by informality, often shaped by cultural perceptions rather than professional standards.

“Domestic work in Kenya has been mostly unstructured from long time if you look at that word house help it comes with control connotation that someone is coming to help you not to work and people have just been getting workers from Ushago, you make a phone call, and interestingly, there are families who are branded to be bringing those people, you know, people who like always have people to work as house help,” she said.

She described how recruitment practices have largely relied on informal social networks, with little regard for preparedness or training.

“So you make a call, either a relative or friends, to get you someone from upcountry. And they come and they expected that all of a sudden they’ll be able to know how to use a microwave and how to fit into a home,” Kimani explained.

The expert noted that while recruitment bureaus have emerged over time to bridge the gap, they too remain largely unregulated, often failing to guarantee worker safety or employer assurance.

“That transitioned a bit. Then bureaus came up, where now those girls from the village would come to town and have a place to go. And they’re hanging around there hoping an employer will come and pick them. And sometimes they don’t even know where they’ll sleep, where they’ll stay as they wait for that job,” she said.

Kimani emphasised that the absence of proper vetting mechanisms has further compounded the problem, leaving households vulnerable.

“So employers started going to bureaus. But even when they go to bureaus, you find those people are not vetted. These people don’t know who these people are. Sometimes they don’t even, you know, have a national ID. So you don’t even know who you are employing,” she added.

Cost, Safety and the Case for Professionalisation

According to Kimani, formalising domestic work would unlock employment opportunities while addressing safety concerns.

“Because if you professionalize domestic work, you then open up a space where a lot of people can get jobs,” she stated.

She challenged the widespread perception that structured domestic labour is inherently expensive, urging households to consider broader cost implications.

“And I’ve just been thinking that people have been finding it not too good to structure because people always think about cost, that if I take this person in a structured way, they are expensive. But the truth is, if you look at costs, you need to look at costs beyond money. Asking yourself, how much will it cost you to just be recruiting every day?” she posed.

Kimani pointed to high turnover rates as an overlooked economic burden.

“Someone enters today, there are some people who will even employ five people in a month. They come today, they go tomorrow. So what is the cost in that? What is the cost of leaving your child with someone you don’t know? What money value can you put to that?” she asked.

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Flexibility as a Framework for Reform

Central to her argument was the need to design a flexible structure that accommodates diverse household needs.

“Secondly, having the whole issue of structuring with flexibility. So we are saying structure, but with some flexibility, not like very rigid. Because I’m thinking there are a lot of people who may not need a domestic worker full-time. Maybe you need someone just for a day,” Kimani explained.

She argued that such flexibility could enable domestic workers to serve multiple clients, thereby increasing their earning potential.

“So structuring will enable us to like, you can be able to have multiple clients. You can be able to work in different homes. And that ends up making you earn more. When you work for different clients, you’re able to earn more,” she said.

Kimani further illustrated how flexible arrangements could benefit urban households, particularly among the middle class.

“So you find that the middle class, maybe there are a lot of people without children. You live alone. Do you really need a full-time person to come and work for you? But if you structure it and there are people who can be able to give you those workers, you can be able to get a worker that one day that you need,” she noted.

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Persuading People by Changing Their Minds

Kimani also highlighted that the reform processes should not be portrayed as punitive or challenging but instead should be seen as advantageous for everyone involved.

“Okay, I think for me, the way I look at it, we don’t need to present this issue of structuring from a perspective of a threat. We need to look at it from a space of persuasion. And the benefits, what do you benefit if you structure?” she said.

She also pointed to the potential for new business models, including community-based childcare solutions.

“For example, let’s say maybe you live in the Eastland or in Formal Settlement. What’s the biggest need of that person? Maybe your biggest need is to have someone who you can leave your child with… You can mobilize together if there’s a business. In fact, this will create a lot of businesses, because now someone can have a daycare, where people can be able to take their child,” Kimani explained.

Arguing that such alternatives could be more cost-effective, she added, “I can bet that it is cheaper to pay for daycare than to bring someone in your house throughout… So that’s why I’m saying it has to be looked at from the issue of flexibility.”

She concluded by questioning prevailing assumptions around affordability.

“But if we look at structuring in terms of being the way we’ve always done them, then it will look impossible. But if we look at it from the eye of flexibility, then it becomes possible for us to be able to do that… So in the real sense, is it really expensive or is it a perception?” she posed.

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Triza Kimani a labour outsourcing expert during a live interview with fixing the nation crew at Nation FM as they discussed matters on labour formalization. PHOTO/ File