The government has intensified a crackdown on fraudulent recruitment agencies amid growing complaints from Kenyans seeking jobs abroad.
A multi-agency task force established on July 15, 2025—bringing together officials from the Ministry of Labour, the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has so far received 390 complaints linked to labour export and recruitment fraud.
However, six months later, only 15 cases have been fully concluded, highlighting the slow pace of investigations and prosecutions.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua attributed the delays to the complexity of investigations and the need to trace suspects and verify company records. He revealed that investigations into 106 cases involving recruitment agencies are still ongoing.
According to Mutua, most of the agencies implicated in defrauding Kenyans are not registered with the National Employment Authority (NEA) or the Registrar of Companies, making them difficult to trace and prosecute. He noted that several of the firms are unknown to regulators, further complicating enforcement efforts.
The CS said two complainants who filed cases before the Small Claims Court have already been compensated. Four additional cases are awaiting court rulings, while other companies have been issued with interim court orders as investigations continue.
In a separate development, Mutua disclosed that two individuals are being sought by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after allegedly disappearing with Sh18 million in public funds meant to facilitate youth employment abroad through the Youth Fund programme.
The government has urged Kenyans seeking overseas employment to carry out thorough due diligence before engaging recruitment agencies. Mutua, together with Labour Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, advised job seekers to confirm that agencies are properly registered and licensed to operate, warning that fraudsters continue to exploit desperation for foreign jobs.
Authorities say the task force will continue pursuing suspects and tightening regulation of recruitment agencies to protect Kenyans from labour export scams.
