20 jobs agencies deregistered amid claims of protection by top officials

First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency Managing Director Judy Jepchirchir. [File, Standard]

A total 20 recruitment agencies have been de-registered following increased cases of malpractices.

The National Employment Authority Wednesday said some of the firms were struck off because of their dubious dealings as they had been collecting funds from gullible youth with a promise for jobs abroad, only to go against their word.

At the same time, the authority confirmed that some of the firms have been enjoying the backing of powerful individuals in government.

NEA Director General Edith Okoki told MPs that some of the de-registered agencies had attempted to seek fresh registration using different names. "The last two years have not been easy. Some of the people that we were having issues with had access to high offices," she said.

One of them, First Choice Recruitment Agency, had attempted to register afresh using the name Royal Capital Placement Ltd.

Last year, First Choice was accused of youth in Uasin Gishu of swindling them millions of shillings.

The de-registered firms include Gulfway Recruitment Company Ltd, Royal Capital Placement Ltd, Geoverah Africa Safaris, First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy, Geoverah Agency, Daawo Holdings, Makungu International, Talent Gateaway, Jakartya Ventures and Skill Dove.

Others are Gifted Minds Tours Travel, Tangofox, Alemtyaz Travel Agent, Rhodevo International, Flexturch Recruitment, Omran Aly Agencies, Alsari International, Leisamis Recruiters and Skyward Global Dimensions.

Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers, Okoki submitted that the agencies had been deregistered following investigations by the Office of the Directorate of Criminal investigations.

The committee further sought to know the specific reasons for the de-registration. "Can you elaborate on these 20 agencies that you say were deregistered. Why exactly were they revoked?" said the chairperson, Lydia Haika.

To which Okoki replied: "For some of the agencies, we get direct instructions from the National Intelligence Service to deregister their certificates of operations."

She explained that the probe was jolted by complaints from Mombasa residents against one Fatma Ramadhan, the director general of Alhadhramy and Mahla Agencies, who allegedly took money with the promise of jobs in Qatar.

"The National Employment Authority took up the matter for further investigations and incorporated the Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies Coast Disciplinary Committee. Investigations carried out revealed that fifty one (51) youths did not travel for work in Qatar as promised by the agency," said Okoki.

She said political protection had made it difficult to enforce their closure.

The committee, however, took issue with the authority for not making public the list of deregistered agencies, arguing that the opaqueness in relaying of information threatened perpetuating the extortion of job seekers.

"We are holding job fairs with other government departments as well conducting conferences to notify the public of this. This is, however, a very expensive affair," she said.

The authority also admitted that it had no data on the number of Kenyans working abroad.

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