The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has flagged at least 26 unregistered recruitment agencies, warning jobseekers against engaging with them. In a public notice, Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua stated that these agencies are not registered with the National Employment Authority (NEA) and are therefore not authorized to operate either in Kenya or in foreign labor markets.
“We wish to inform the general public and job seekers that the following Private Employment Agencies are not registered by the Authority and are therefore not authorized to undertake any recruitment activities for local (Kenya) or foreign labour markets,” the notice reads in part.
Mutua urged the public to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of any recruitment agencies they engage with. “Members of the public are further cautioned to do due diligence before they engage with any Recruitment Agency. The list and registration status of the recruitment agencies can be accessed through the NEA website,” he added.
This warning follows a similar crackdown two months ago, when the ministry flagged 16 unregistered recruitment agencies. This action came after hundreds of Kenyans reported losing millions of shillings in employment scams in Eldoret.
On August 20, Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime noted that a joint investigation by the Ministry, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the NEA revealed that these agencies were not registered as required by law. “The Ministry, in collaboration with the National Employment Authority (NEA), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the police have conducted preliminary investigations which have revealed that the unethical recruitments are being carried out by unscrupulous agencies that are not registered by NEA as per the law,” Mwadime said.
The government has intensified efforts to eliminate rogue recruitment agencies, which often lure Kenyans with promises of jobs abroad, only to abandon them once they arrive.
