US-Kenya Stip could be model for Africa but position on workers needs rethink

What you need to know:

Kenyan parliament would likely play a very limited role in shaping the scope and content of the labour provisions of the trade agreement.
Labour provisions in Kenya could have a direct impact on its trade with China, EAC member states and other African states.
Including labour provisions in the Stip could transform Kenya’s labour laws.

Kenya must reject pressure to replicate the labour provisions in the US-Mexico pact. They might not be a good template.
The labour provisions should include rights enshrined in core international human rights instruments most of which are yet to be ratified by the US.
The issue of implementation costs and capacity constraints must be addressed upfront with binding long-term commitment on the US to provide necessary technical assistance and bear the implementation costs.
The failure of the US government to address labour rights and migrant rights violations in the US, including in the agriculture sector, must also be on the table.
A human rights and sustainability impact assessment of the labour provisions is necessary. Such an impact assessment should take into account vulnerable workers in Kenya including female workers, workers with disability, child workers, as well as workers in the rural areas.