The government has shut down 40 recruitment and travel
agencies in Eldoret for fresh vetting following increased cases of residents
being conned millions of shillings for non-existent foreign jobs and study
opportunities.
Uasin Gishu county commissioner Edison Nyale said some of the travel agencies in the region were illegally converting to recruitment agencies and scamming residents eager to get jobs and study abroad.
Nyale said the county security team had met with the National Employment Agency (NEA), where the illegal activities were revealed.
“We decided to close down all the agencies so that we carry out fresh vetting and issuance of licenses after clearly identifying the recruitment and travel agencies operating in this region,” Nyale said.
The county commissioner warned that anyone found operating such agencies illegally would be arrested and prosecuted.
“We are asking residents to ensure they carry out due diligence to avoid being conned by groups not registered by NEA and have no other relevant licenses, including from the county government,” Nyale said.
He said Eldoret had earned a bad name due to the high number of groups conning residents.
“We will clean up this city of such scammers and ensure only genuine agencies licensed and recognised by the government operate,” said Nyale, who spoke during a public sensitisation meeting at the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute in Eldoret.
Labour CS Alfred Mutua is expected to visit Eldoret and help deal with the cases in which over 10,000 youth have been conned.
One of the affected job seekers, Julius Misoi, said many fake recruitment agencies had collected money from thousands of youth and parents in Eldoret after which they disappear leaving the victims to suffer.
“We are now pleading with the CS to come to our aid and ensure action is taken against those who have caused pain in our lives,” Misoi said.
Another victim Janet Kiptoo said the CS should take action to deal with hundreds of fake recruitment agencies operating in Eldoret.
This comes as parents affected by the Sh1 billion Finland education program in Uasin Gishu have opted for a public fundraising to enable their children go to college locally.
The major fundraising is expected to be held on June 16 at the Eldoret Sports Club.
The parents have appealed to President William Ruto and other leaders to help them raise about Sh60 million to support over 250 students join college.
The affected parents and students met in Eldoret for the third time this month and said they had opted to fundraise because they had waited in vain to get back their money which they paid to Uasin Gishu county for a failed overseas education programme in Finland.
The parents and students were led by Hosea Kibet, Noah Kemboi, Magdalene Ruto and Asenath Okerio.
“We know that no one asked us to pay our money to the county but we have reached our end and now appeal for help so that we go to college and re-start our lives,” said Okerio, who is one of the affected students.
Three years ago, the parents paid between Sh600,000 to Sh2 million under the overseas education programme that was coordinated by the county.
Some of those who paid got the opportunity to go to Finland for studies but about 300 of them missed out after the money they paid went missing.
