How crooked agencies are minting millions from desperate jobseekers

To lure a Kenyan jobseeker, you don’t need to Google a fraudster’s playbook.

All you need is to plant fake testimonials through social media influencers, probably spend less than Sh50,000 for advertisement in vernacular radio station where they charge between Sh5 and Sh10 per word.

It becomes even easier if you invoke God’s name.

Also Read: Kenyans should shun religious mediocrity and complacency

If you are creative enough, you can coin your own relatable grass to grace story if you understand your audience very well— just like Pastor James Wanjohi of Jesus Culture Ministries in Nairobi’s Roysambu who police are investigating for allegedly conning jobseekers of Sh600 million.

He packaged his formative days as a dirt-poor student at Kanunga High School where he claims he paid his school fees by selling avocados to his fellow students before transitioning to an entrepreneur printing marketing T-Shirts for Nairobi-based Pastor Pius Muiru of Kuna Nuru Gizani Ministries.

“I started pastoral roles while in Standard Four and I used to pay my school fees by selling avocados while I was a student at Kanunga High School. I have struggled in this town. I have been homeless and slept at petrol stations in foreign countries. I remember being conned by a Nigerian while in Namibia while looking for a work permit before my breakthrough came when I started a job placement and student placement targeting international students and within three weeks I had made Sh160 million. In this life, you only need passion and persistence…” Mr Wanjohi told a local YouTuber in a recent interview.

Also Read: Flashy pastor, a Sh600m jobs scam and debt-stricken victim

Such fraud investigations have become a common trend as jobseekers desperate for any opening continue paying back loans they had taken from micro-lenders or sold property to pay recruitment agencies minting millions with promises to secure positions abroad.

Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Peter Njeru Nthigah told the Sunday Nation this week that they are investigating over 145 recruitment agencies in Kenya that have been adversely mentioned by jobseekers for suspected fraud.

“We are currently investigating around 145 companies that have either folded, changed names and returned to the market with a different name as well as existing companies that have conned Kenyans millions of shillings for foreign jobs that do not exist,” Mr Nthigah said.

But where is the loophole?

The National Employment Authority (NEA), headed by acting Director General Edith Okoki, is a government agency under the Ministry of Labour tasked with regulating and accrediting recruitment agencies.

The organisation has come under criticism from the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK), Kenya Association of Private Employment Agencies and police investigators who accuse it of being pocketed by rogue agencies.

Also Read: Amble Beginning - Firm accused of conning Kenyans, promising dubious jobs overseas

“There is a lot of conflict of interest at NEA. Unregistered recruitment agencies and those whose licences have expired continue to operate and nothing is being done in terms of compliance and enforcement. It seems as if they have held the authorities hostage. When you complain, you are victimised and threatened that your licence will be withdrawn or not get renewed,” Francis Wahome, the ASMAK chairman told the Sunday Nation, adding that their reports to the DCI and NEA have not been acted upon.

When the Nation reached out to Ms Okoki early in the week to respond to the claims, she declined to share names of the recruitment agencies, citing the Data Protection Act.

“As you may be aware, there is a Data Protection Act and I am not comfortable sharing the details you are asking about but what I can tell you is that what you are hearing is pure witch-hunt,” she said, dismissing Sunday Nation’s public interest argument.

Also Read: Flashy pastor James Wanjohi in Sh600m jobs scam on DCI’s no-fly list

However, we have separately obtained the names of Nairobi-based recruitment agencies being investigated by the DCI on suspicion of defrauding Kenyans millions of shillings in fake jobs.

In a letter dated February 24, 2024, Nairobi Region Directorate of Criminal Investigations wrote to NEA asking for registration details of 39 companies notoriously accused of defrauding Kenyans.

“This office is conducting investigations where the following companies are featured. Therefore, for purposes of investigations, confirm whether the companies are registered in your Authority,’’ wrote investigating officer Hussein Mahat.

On March 20, 2024, NEA responded to the investigating officer listing 39 companies that are operating without licence.

This is just a small fraction of suspected rogue recruitment agencies reported at DCI Nairobi region but the numbers highlight how lucrative the industry is where even travel agencies— mainly licensed to offer visa application services and travel itinerary for holiday makers abroad— and even driving schools have invaded the industry scamming Kenyans and issuing them with tourist visas promising them that they would help them convert the latter into a work visa once they land in a foreign land only to be dumped.

Eleneta Njeri from Murang’a County alleged that she lost Sh125,000 after being promised a caregiver job in Canada by WorthStart Africa linked to Mr James Wanjohi, only to learn that it was just a scam.

More bad news awaited her. The Canadian Embassy slapped her with a five-year ban after it emerged that WorthStart Africa used fake financial documents to support her financial status to get a Canadian Visa.

Also Read: Kitui pastor by day, armed robber by night, shot dead by police

“This (the ban) has shattered my dreams of working in Canada.I was informed by the embassy that I have been banned for five years for using fake financial statements to secure the visa. Under the agreement we had with WorthStart Africa, we were paying them directly and the money was to handle both the job placement and visa,’’ Ms Njeri told the Nation .

Lydiah Wangechi, 37, is another victim after she lost Sh 120,000 to Worth Start Africa last year on June 27, after she was promised a job in Canada as a hotelier, free accommodation, a work permit and a legal officer to take her through the documentation once she lands in the country.

She told the Nation she learnt about the openings through radio and television advertisements. On Friday, Ms Wangechi said she has been left servicing loans while those who scammed her are roaming free.

“I was looking forward to starting a new life after failing to get a sustainable job here in Kenya. I have been left vulnerable. I don’t know where to start. The agency that conned us told me that it doesn’t have a refund policy,” she said.

Detectives investigating WorthStart Africa and its affiliate firms explained at the weekend how the company tricked its clients.

One was advertising job openings in Europe in the mainstream media and social media and when one visits their offices, one is asked to pay between Sh100,000 and Sh140,000 with promises of well-paying caregiver and hotelier jobs abroad. Clients are not issued with a job contract but rather a visa facilitation contract. Canadian visa fees range from between Sh15,000 and Sh20,000.

The second strategy was intentional poor documentation and cooked financial statements used during visa application on behalf of jobseekers. The end result was mass rejection and visa bans of five years. The recruitment agency would then absolve itself from blame.

Also Read:Tales of woe from victims of First Choice jobs racket

The third strategy was having different company names under WorthStart Africa— among them WorthStart Travel Agency and WorthStart Barista Technical Institute — where applicants would later be taken round in guise that their contracts were erroneous and fell under the wrong company category.

Nairobi Regional Police Headquarters has placed a stop order against businessman James Wanjohi who doubles up as a lead pastor of Jesus Culture Ministries, and his companies. They have also issued a travel alert after Mr Wanjohi failed to turn up for questioning.

The Nation has also learnt that two directors of another recruitment agency, Amble Beginning Consult— previously known as Frac and Calp – are also under investigation over allegations of conning jobseekers of Sh800 million.

Amble Beginning Consult and Frac and Calp are reportedly owned by Alphonce Kioko Kivundi, Nancy Gathoni Muriuki, Auki and Sheiya Kavaya.

“This office is investigation allegations of labour immigrations and fraud estimated to Sh600 million. For purposes of investigations please place a stop order and furnish this office with travel history in respect of the above captioned persons,’’ reads a letter dated April 23, 2024 written by Nairobi Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Peter Njeru Nthigah directed to the Director of Immigrations.

In Eldoret, 400 jobseekers who cumulatively lost Sh160 million are accusing Novice Global Service Consultants of promising non-existing jobs in Canada and Australia.

Also Read:  Eldoret town - Home of scandals and fraudsters?

Victims allege the proprietor of the firm is a resident of Australia with roots in Ziwa, Uasin Gishu.

One victim, Joshua Lagat from Nandi County, said he paid Sh1.5m for his three sons to get jobs abroad.

“I sold property to raise the money. It’s painful to realise I’ve been conned of my money, “said Mr Lagat.

Similar sentiments were shared by Simon Cheruiyot from Ziwa who said his father sold a parcel of land to buy a ticket only to be left empty-handed.

“I convinced my father to sell our land, especially the portion that was to be my inheritance, hoping to work abroad and make enough money to buy myself land and help my siblings who are struggling with poverty, only to learn that I have been duped,” said Mr Cheruiyot.

Also Read:‘I quit my job for this’ - Heartbreaking stories of 7,000 in Eldoret Qatar jobs scam

Wainaina wa Mwangi, an Eldoret-based businessman, laments that he took a bank loan with the hope of travelling to Canada last October.

“Eldoret has become a town of cartels. I have just learned that there are so many overseas travel agencies conning residents, "said Mr Wainaina.

Two years ago, hundreds of youths were allegedly conned by First Choice Recruitment agency in a similar fashion.

The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare directed the recruitment agency to refund Sh1 billion. The matter is yet to be settled.

The agency had promised the youth World Cup jobs in Qatar that never materialised. Agitated youth stormed the County Commissioner’s office in Eldoret on September 19, 2022, seeking help to get their money back.

The County Government of Uasin Gishu found itself in the eye of the storm over a botched Education Scholarship programme for students to travel to Canada and Australia. The affected students have taken county leaders including Governor Jonathan Bii and Senator Jackson Mandago to the Small Claims Court.

- Additional reporting by Titus Ominde [email protected] [email protected]