The government has revoked all the licences of recruitment agencies operating within Uasin Gishu county.

According to the Uasin Gishu county commissioner, Dr Eddyson Nyale, the agencies will not be required to undergo a fresh vetting before they are allowed to resume operations.

Speaking during a stakeholder engagement in Eldoret, the county commissioner said a decision to revoke the agencies’ licenses follows increased complaints from members over fraudulent agencies conning them millions with a promise of securing them jobs abroad.

“We have decided to shut all of them down and allow fresh vetting before issuance of new licenses. This is the only way to stem out the fake ones,” said Dr. Nyale.

He admitted that Uasin Gishu county has been in the limelight over numerous scandals involving recruitment agencies.

However, he said a renewed effort to rid the county of fake recruitment firms was taken following a consultation with the regional National Employment Authority (NEA) officials.

But as the agencies are now set for fresh vetting, the county security boss challenged locals to always seek information on the legitimacy of recruitment agencies they intend to engage with before making any payments for jobs promised abroad.

He named a registration certificate from the National Employment Authority as one of the documents Kenyans should always ask for.

“There is a need for the residents of Uasin Gishu and Kenyans at large to carry out due diligence before engaging any transactions with the agencies. The matter has reached a critical level,” Dr. Nyale said.

He also cautioned Kenyans to beware of some travel agencies that were purporting to offer recruitment services.

“We are thoroughly cleaning up any agency purporting to be recruiting illegally in this county and the country at large,” the county commissioner said.

He expressed optimism that the latest move will protect Kenyans against unscrupulous agencies that continue to make millions from unsuspecting members of the public.

Previously, reported a sad incident where a woman from Cherangany constituency, Trans Nzoia county, was conned KSh 1.2 million in a fake job scam.

Cynthia Chemutai had been promised a lucrative job in Canada, and the family sold land to raise the money needed.

The recruitment agency handling her relocation abroad handed her a visa, ticket a travel date was set. She even had to resign from her job, in the hope of a better one abroad.

However, things took a twist when the person she was in contact with stopped picking up her calls. She later found out the air ticket she had was fake.

Source: TUKO.co.ke