Kenya mulls Volunteerism law

Kenya is in the process of developing the Volunteerism Act that will provide the legal framework that will protect communities, volunteers and volunteer organizations, a government official said on Sunday.

Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community, Labour and Social Protection Phyllis Kandie told a media briefing in Nairobi that stakeholders are currently developing the draft law.

"We will soon table the law in parliament and we hope it will become enacted by the end of the year," Kandie said. Kenya approved a National Policy on volunteerism in 2016.

"The aim of the law is promote the development of a strong volunteer sector in the country," she said during celebrations to mark the Good Deeds Day. This is an annual global day of doing and celebrating good deeds.

Kandie said that the Act will provide for the establishment of structures to foster volunteerism in the country.

She added that the proposed legislation will also provide a framework through which the country can inclusively engage volunteers so that they optimize on their resources and opportunities.

According to the government official, volunteer activities and practices are currently uncoordinated and inadequately supported at the national level.

"So the law will ensure that there is no duplication of efforts in order to reduce waste of human resources," Kandie said.

She noted that volunteerism contributes immensely to the country's social, economic and political development. "It also improves the quality of life of the beneficiaries as well as the entire society at large," she said. Endit