Graduates can’t work for free, it’s unconstitutional – Labour Minister

The parliamentary bill that seeks one year mandatory free national service by fresh graduates is yet to receive a rejection slap from the government.

This bill was presented by Bunya County MP Waira Majegere and pushed for by several other MPs who torched into issues like graduates working for government at no cost for a full year, improving skills of fresh graduates as well as fighting the stereotypes by employers who claim that fresh graduates are not qualified enough for their jobs.

However, yesterday, the bill received sharp criticism from the state minister for Labour Hon Herbert Kabafuzaki who termed it as unconstitutional. He referred to some clauses in the Bill that show lack of constitutionalism, most notably the one that emphasizes free and compulsory labour.

This according to the constitution, Kabafunza said, violates the law as labour provision has to be voluntary and paid for. It would thus be unlawful to force fresh graduates to work.

With this kind of government rejection, the Bill hangs in balanace on loose strings and its author Majegere  might not even receive the Certificate of Financial Implications that permits him to present the it before parliament.

However, this proposed Bill had already been welcomed by many organizations including The National Organisation of Trade Unions with hopes of using this National Service Scheme to absorb fresh graduates into the economy.