Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Alfred Mutua, has launched a fierce crackdown on fraudulent recruitment agencies, demanding they cease operations within one week.

During a send-off ceremony for 350 seasonal workers bound for the United Kingdom on August 9, Mutua announced, “There are many young people who have been conned of their money. We are going to make sure those involved are arrested, locked in jail, and we grab their assets to compensate the victims.”

He further warned, “I want to give notice to rogue agents that your time is gone. I give you one week to pack and move away from Kenya.” This announcement comes amid escalating frustration over widespread scams in the recruitment sector, leaving thousands of Kenyans victimized.

A recent investigation by the National Employment Authority (NEA) revealed that more than 400 of the 1,029 registered recruitment agencies are operating without valid permits, particularly concerning in Eldoret, where many agencies are unregistered or have expired permits.

Mutua’s commitment follows a series of scandals, including a case involving a televangelist who allegedly defrauded over 4,000 jobseekers of Ksh600 million, with individuals paying between Ksh100,000 and Ksh140,000 for promised overseas jobs.

The Labour Minister’s decisive action addresses mounting complaints from frustrated citizens and aims to restore trust in Kenya’s recruitment sector.