Editor's Review

"The Ministry has conducted preliminary investigations which have revealed that the unethical recruitments are being carried out by unscrupulous agencies."

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has flagged 16 recruitment agencies after hundreds of Kenyans claimed to have lost millions of money in employment scams in Eldoret. 

In a statement on Tuesday, August 20, Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime disclosed that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Employment Authority (NEA), conducted an investigation which revealed that the agencies were not registered by NEA.

"The Ministry, in collaboration with the National Employment Authority (NEA), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the police have conducted preliminary investigations which have revealed that the unethical recruitments are being carried out by unscrupulous agencies that are not registered by NEA as per the law. The Ministry has already flagged out 16 unscrupulous agencies," Mwadime remarked.

The PS advised Kenyans that all job opportunities must be approved by the Director General of the National Employment Authority.

He also disclosed that foreign contracts of employment must be attested by the designated labour officers at the Ministry before the purchase of air tickets.

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PS Shadrack Mwadime.

“The attestation process is done online through the National Employment Authority Website (NEAIMS.GO.KE) including downloading and uploading of the necessary documentation," Mwadime stated.

At the same time, the PS indicated that NEA registers and licenses private recruitment agencies and the list of all the licensed agencies can be accessed through https://neaims.go.ke/EmploymentAgencyList.aspx.

"Agencies listed in black have valid licenses while those in red are not valid," Mwadime added.

The PS also disclosed that there were over 1000 private recruitment agencies in Kenya, but the number has been reduced to 500 through the stringent vetting process to root out the fake agencies.

Additionally, Mwadime noted that the government had operationalised a labour migration desk at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to ensure Kenyan migrant workers comply with all the necessary pre-departure procedures before exiting the nation.

"The desk will help in curbing irregular migration, unethical recruitment, and human trafficking to ensure the realisation of safe, orderly, regular labour migration for all Kenyans," he explained.

His remarks come after a number of Kenyans cried foul after being duped by some recruitment agencies in Eldoret under the guise of foreign job offers.