Over 500 job seekers conned in Eldoret

By Rael Jelimo and Francis Koech

Eldoret, Kenya: Over 500 job seekers from diverse areas of the North Rift fell prey to an unscrupulous recruitment agency.

The job seekers had applied for jobs with the unknown agency following advertisements strategically placed at a private notice board next to Komora Centre in Eldoret Town.

The advert indicated there were several positions to be filled at a supermarket that was opening a branch in Eldoret town.

The advert further revealed attractive starting salary and remunerations for the different job categories which included 10 drivers (Sh14, 439) and10 cashiers (Sh16, 745).

Other positions were 60 supermarket attendants, 10 CCTV attendants, storekeepers, M-pesa attendants among other jobs but with no indication of remuneration.

The victims were left stranded at the gate of the Eldoret Sports Club; the supposed venue where the interviews were to be conducted.

Another group of the interviewees were stranded at the Eldoret Town Hall.

“I saw the advert in town and immediately called the contact number. The man who received my call was a Muhammad who went ahead to give me the requirements which included a CV and Sh300 registration amount. I send them the money via M-Pesa,” said Lydia Chepng’etich, an Eldoret resident.

All the applicants admit to have sent Sh300 registration amounts to the number. They later received other calls from different people who claimed to be supervising the interviews in the town who asked them to send them more money to secure their jobs.

“I send the man an extra Sh2200 after I received the second call. My desperation for a job pushed me. He told me my job application will be processed faster and further promised that I would not have to sit for the interview,” says Stanley Korir yet another jobseeker.

The M-Pesa transaction numbers were registered to Tete Muyesi 0718561297, Hussein Kenga 0706664735/0726647835 and Muhammed Jibril 0721904436.

The job seekers who travelled from different regions of the North Rift including Kitale, Bungoma, Kapsabet, Eldoret, Iten and Kapsaos, have been left contemplating their fate as they waited in vain for the supposed employers who are yet to turn up.

Uasin Gishu County Executive Secretary in Charge of Trade Philiph Meli cautioned the youth on sending money to unknown employment agencies.

“I am asking the youth to be wary of conmen who purport to have employment opportunities for them. When the deal is too good, think twice. We will liase with the administrative agents and police to investigate the incident,” he said.

He further called on the youth to take the initiative to report the matter at any police station.