Labour Cabinet Secretary nominee Alfred Mutua distanced himself from an Eldoret-based employment agency embroiled in allegations of swindling Kenyans.
The agency, currently under scrutiny for its dubious recruitment practices, has been accused of taking advantage of job seekers by promising them overseas employment opportunities that never materialise. The entire scandal is valued at Ksh400 million.
Speaking when he appeared before the Committee on Appointments on Sunday, Mutua clarified his lack of involvement with the agency and recounted a brief encounter with one of its representatives.
“When it comes to the issues that you mentioned, I remember that we had an event at KICC and there were different stands; the stand for foreign affairs was next to that of the Ministry of Labour and I had never met this lady in my life but she was the one showcasing what the Ministry of Labour had done and the programme they had,” he said.
Mutua explained that during the event, he was asked to introduce President William Ruto to various exhibitors, including the representative from the Ministry of Labour.
“When the president came, we were told to combine the two issues at that time, and so I was introducing the president to the people who were presenting.”
“I didn’t even know her name and she introduced herself; that is the only time I met her and after that meeting, I have never met her again,” Mutua responded to an allegation that he had introduced the lady to the Head of State. The lady in question is at the center of the scandal.
Emphasising his commitment to addressing the problem of rogue employment agencies, Mutua highlighted his previous efforts as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary.
“I do not have any conflict of interest. I came to see her stories later on. When I was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I even called a meeting in light of rogue employment agencies and it is an issue that I will be dealing with,” he stated.
The Labour CS nominee’s comments came amid increasing reports of job seekers being conned by unscrupulous recruitment firms, particularly those operating under the guise of offering lucrative positions abroad.
Mutua also shed light on the broader issue of employment opportunities for Kenyans, stressing the need for genuine and dignified job placements abroad.
“Kenyans don’t want handouts. They want to be given opportunities. There is a mistaken idea that many jobs out there are househelp jobs.”
“I did research and countries such as Australia, Germany, Italy, and the US are ready to employ Kenyans. For example, the international community is looking for 11,200 drivers,” he noted.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE