Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has announced the creation of a multi-agency taskforce to deal with illegal recruitment agencies that are taking advantage of Kenyans seeking employment overseas.

Speaking on Tuesday, July 15, Mutua said this followed a secret high-level meeting with key government agencies to address what he termed was a worsening and deeply concerning crisis.

He sounded the alarm over the increasing number of fraud cases in which impostors posing as licensed employment agents have lured job seekers with false promises of overseas jobs. In the majority of cases, the victims are left with monetary losses and psychological trauma once the cheaters vanish with their money.

CS Mutua promised that the taskforce would be adequately empowered to investigate such errant agencies and bring their culprits to book. He further said that the government is eager to protect Kenyans from exploitation and restore sanity in the foreign employment sector.

The taskforce will comprise members from various agencies, including law enforcement, immigration, and labor offices, to work together to enhance control and regulation of recruitment firms operating in the country. It will bring together several key government bodies, including 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).

Also onboard are the Asset Recovery Agency, the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), the Directorate of Immigration, and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs. These agencies will collaborate to investigate, prosecute, and dismantle networks exploiting Kenyan job seekers in the name of foreign employment opportunities.

“We are also engaging the Judiciary to explore the possibility of fast-tracking labour fraud cases, so that offenders are dealt with swiftly and justice is served. Those who have deliberately defrauded Kenyans must face the full force of the law. We are serious about dismantling these criminal networks,” Mutua declared.

For effective and coordinated intervention, CS Mutua announced that the taskforce will be anchored at a One-Stop Centre. The team will operate from the NSSF Building, Block C, 7th Floor, from today, July 15, 2025. The centre will be open every day from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

“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,” Mutua noted.

Mutua also issued a public appeal to victims of fraudulent recruitment schemes, asking them to come forward with evidence that can 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,” he said.

He encouraged affected Kenyans to appear with all the documents they have, including proof of payment and contacts they might have had with the alleged agencies. All these details, he said, would be essential in building strong cases and having those found guilty prosecuted.

The victims have been directed to report to the One-Stop Centre at the NSSF Building, 7th Floor, from Thursday, July 17, between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM.