ELDORET, Kenya — The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) has faulted the National Police Service (NPS) and the National Employment Authority (NEA) for negligence and regulatory failures that allowed fraudulent job recruitment schemes to thrive, exposing vulnerable Kenyans to exploitation and financial loss.
The findings come amid a spike in job scams targeting unemployed youth and desperate job seekers pursuing both local and overseas opportunities.
In a report released this week, CAJ accused some police commanders in Uasin Gishu County of ignoring multiple complaints, intimidating victims, and failing to act against a fraudulent recruitment scheme linked to First Choice Agency.
CAJ Chief Executive Officer Charles Dulo said investigations revealed “alarming inaction and negligence” by officers tasked with enforcing the law.
“Our investigations revealed clear negligence and failure to act on credible complaints, which allowed the fraudulent scheme to thrive at the expense of vulnerable job seekers,” Dulo said.
According to the report, several complaints were lodged at Eldoret Police Station regarding alleged fraud, yet little progress was made. Officers responsible for investigations and station administration at the time were cited for failing to protect complainants or pursue suspects.
“Public officers entrusted with protecting citizens must be held accountable when their inaction or misconduct enables exploitation and injustice,” Dulo added.
The commission directed the National Police Service Commission to commence disciplinary proceedings against the implicated officers and submit a progress report within six months.
CAJ also faulted senior officials at the National Employment Authority, including the Director General and the Head of Labour Migration, for weak oversight that allowed unregistered recruiters to operate unchecked.
The commission asked the Ministry of Labour and Skills Development to take administrative action against the implicated NEA officials and formally inform CAJ of the measures taken.
The report comes as the Ministry of Labour separately uncovered a fraudulent overseas recruitment scheme involving forged documents and an unlicensed network targeting Kenyans seeking jobs in Oman.
In a statement issued on Friday, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua said the scheme involved the recruitment of three women, Jeneffer, Matilda, and Caroline, who were scheduled to travel to Oman through what has since been confirmed as a fake process.
“The report below details an investigation into the recruitment of Jeneffer, Matilda, and Caroline, scheduled for travel to Oman.
The case involves the use of falsified government documents, an unlicensed recruitment agency, and suspicious direct-hire claims,” Mutua said.
According to the ministry, the recruitment was conducted outside Kenya’s legal labour migration framework and relied on falsified government clearances.
The three job seekers were processed through an informal network rather than a licensed recruitment agency, underscoring systemic gaps in oversight and enforcement.
The case mirrors earlier complaints against First Choice Agency, which allegedly collected large cash payments from applicants while promising overseas jobs and study placements that never materialised.
Labour rights experts say the findings expose structural weaknesses in Kenya’s labour migration system and police accountability mechanisms.
“Without strict enforcement, public awareness, and accountability within oversight institutions, job scams will continue to flourish,” said a Nairobi-based labour migration analyst.
Under Article 47 of the Constitution, Kenyans are entitled to fair administrative action, while the Employment Act and labour migration regulations require strict licensing and monitoring of recruitment agencies.
CAJ said restoring public trust will require swift disciplinary action, stronger inter-agency coordination, and tighter regulation of labour recruitment to protect job seekers from exploitation.
