Labour CS Alfred Mutua on the spot over Kazi Majuu scam as victims seek refund

The ministry of Labour has been accused of turning a blind eye as thousands of overseas job seekers were scammed by recruitment agencies.

The job seekers, who appeared before the Senate Labour Committee yesterday, revealed that despite having been successful in the Kazi Majuu recruitment initiative and having provisional job letters, they are still in the country waiting to travel to the Gulf countries for the promised jobs, over six months later.

They are now want to be given the jobs or refunded the money they paid to recruitment agencies.

The victims braved the scorching sun at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and Kabete National Polytechnic last December during the Kazi Majuu recruitment drive hyped by Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua. They are now wondering whether they were scammed of their money by the government.

They lamented to the Senate committee over the delay in traveling for the jobs despite paying for their travel and other facilitations.

“When we got to Kabete, we were told it is a must that we pay the medical fees of Ksh 15,000,” Fredrick Maburi explained.

Robert Orioki, a driver from Kisii, said: “That time, we were told that we would not even celebrate Christmas in Kenya. We paid the money and still had Christmas in the Country. They again pushed it to the New Year, but still nothing happened.”

Their efforts to get a word from the recruitment agencies and the National Employment Authority (NEA) together with the ministry proved futile

“When we were asking them who is in charge of ensuring we travel for the jobs, they said ‘Madam’ is in charge. When you ask where the ‘madam’ is, they do not know where she is,” another victim, Godfrey Githae explained.

They revealed that when the situation got out of hand, some of the agencies involved in the recruitment process begun refunding the money to the victims.

Some had paid as high as Ksh 55, 000 each for the services but not all the money was refunded.

“I asked why they refunded Ksh 37,000, of which there is no processing that they did that was among those listed for Ksh 55,000.

The victims want the government to refund their money in total or ensure they get the jobs as they had been promised earlier on.

“If the jobs were a scam, I beg that the committee intervenes on our behalf to ensure we have our money paid in full.

The Senate committee is expected to summon Dr Mutua to provide answers for the queries raised.

“I would like the committee to dig deeper in the offer letters, refunds to understand who the scammers are,” Senator Gloria Orwoba said.

“We shall summon CS Mutua together with NEA to shed more light on the matter,” Kanar Seki, Kajiado Senator, who chairs the Senate Labor Committee promised.

The government led initiative Kazi Majuu drive took place in December last year.

It was fashioned as a silver bullet to end Job oversee scandals but seems to add to the long list of con games similar to the Finland Scholarships scam linked to the Uasin Gishu county government during the tenure of Governor Jackson  Mandago, now senator.