US Company Breaks Silence on Reports of Hiring Kenyans

American trucking company Werner Enterprises has denied claims that it is recruiting Kenyan truck drivers to work in the United States amid criticism triggered by a recent Enterprise Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Kenyan government and the U.S. State of Nebraska.
The freight and logistics giant,  which is based in Nebraska, issued a formal statement on X, formerly Twitter, to attempt to calm the storm by rejecting any involvement in hiring drivers from Kenya.
“Werner has not signed or discussed any agreement for the recruitment of Kenyan truck drivers to the United States,” the statement shared on Wednesday, September 10, read. “Any claims suggesting otherwise are just false.”
The clarification came days after online speculation and backlash from Americans, particularly those based in Nebraska, who sounded an alarm over claims that foreigners were coming to take over the lucrative trucking jobs.
In 2024, there were suggestions that Werner representatives met with a Kenyan delegation in Omaha to strengthen ties between Kenya and Nebraska, further fuelling online unrest from natives of the U.S. state.
While the delegation met with Nebraska officials and made an appearance at Werner’s headquarters, there was no formal announcement regarding recruitment or employment partnerships.
Speculation escalated on September 4 when Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen travelled to Nairobi and signed a Labour Mobility and Diaspora Support MoU alongside Principal Secretary, State Department for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu.
The agreement, which was witnessed by President William Ruto, was framed as a breakthrough in creating legal employment pathways forKenyans in critical sectors like healthcare and transport.
Following the agreement, Evnen publicly stated,  “We have commercial truck drivers already who are being trained, partially in Kenya, and then they complete their training in Nebraska.”
It is worth noting that while Evnen’s comments were not directly linked to Werner, some social media users speculated that the company’s involvement meant more jobs for Kenyans in Nebraska.
However, despite the perception that the MoU was directly tied to U.S.-based trucking companies, no U.S. company has directly confirmed its participation in the employment initiative.
Evnen’s championing of the MoU is a pragmatic response to America’s growing labour shortages, with Kenya being tipped as a hub for hard-working individuals who have a strong work ethic.
During the latest engagement in Nairobi, he hinted at expanding the latest agreement to include trained workers in other sectors.
“We have a commission now, a committee that has established a process under which we can explore further labour mobility fields… including medical and nursing professions,” Evnen said.
PS Njogu echoed these sentiments, emphasising that this deal will create vital job opportunities for Kenyans during a time when the United States is experiencing a crackdown on migration.
“This labour mobility and diaspora support MoU we signed yesterday will see Kenyan talent take up opportunities in Nebraska, supporting shortages in critical sectors and deepening the ties between Kenya, Nebraska and the US in general,” she affirmed.