Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has announced the establishment of a multi-agency taskforce to crack down on recruitment agencies involved in the exploitation of desperate job seekers.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 15, Mutua said the decision followed a high-level intergovernmental meeting held over the issue.
"Today, I convened a high-level meeting with key government institutions to address the growing menace of rogue individuals and agencies preying on innocent Kenyans desperate for job opportunities abroad.
"We are deeply concerned by the rising number of cases where unscrupulous individuals have been masquerading as licensed recruitment agents, defrauding our people under the false promise of overseas employment, only to disappear with their hard-earned money and shatter their dreams," the statement read.
According to Mutua, the taskforce will be mandated to investigate fraudulent recruitment agencies and prosecute the culprits.
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"We deliberated on coordinated strategies to decisively deal with this criminal enterprise that is undermining the gains we have made in expanding safe and legal labour migration opportunities for Kenyan youth.
"As a result, we have agreed to establish a Multi-Agency Taskforce to investigate and prosecute these fraudulent actors swiftly and thoroughly," the statement continued.
The team will include the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Office of the Attorney General, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
The Asset Recovery Agency, the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), the Directorate of Immigration and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs will also be part of the taskforce.
To ensure efficiency, Mutua said the team will be based at a central One-Stop Centre at the NSSF Building, Block C, 7th Floor, operating daily from 9AM to 1PM beginning today, July 15.
"This team will operate from a centralized One-Stop Centre, based at NSSF Building, Block C, 7th Floor, starting today, 15th July 2025, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM daily. The goal is to harmonize investigations, fast-track prosecutions, and eliminate bureaucratic delays that often allow perpetrators to walk free.
"Files will no longer be hidden in scattered police stations or slow-moving offices. The DCI will work closely with the DPP to ensure cases are handled efficiently whether a file is ready for prosecution, needs more evidence, or should proceed to court immediately," the statement added.
Mutua issued a call to action for victims of fraudulent recruitment to come forward and share evidence to aid investigations.
"I now issue this call to the public: If you have been conned if an individual or agency took your money in exchange for a promised job opportunity abroad that has not materialized for six to eight months or more, and you have not received a refund please come forward.
"Bring all relevant documents, including proof of payment and communication records. Visit the NSSF Building, 7th Floor, starting Thursday, 17th July, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM," the statement concluded.
