The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has cracked the whip on 25 recruitment agencies and blacklisted them amid growing public complaints. According to Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, the agencies have either been deregistered or denied registration over complaints about their modus operandi by the public. In its move, the Ministry seeks to ensure protection for Kenyan citizens in search of employment, especially those seeking work abroad.

The agencies on the blacklist include Gulfway Recruitment Company Ltd, Royal Capital Placement Ltd, Geoverah Agency Ltd, First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Ltd, Makungu International Ltd, among others. Others are Talent Gateway Ltd, Jakarta Ventures Ltd, Omran Aly Agencies Ltd.

Public Concerns Increase, Deregistration

CS Mutua pointed out that the Ministry, in collaboration with other agencies, carried out intensive scrutiny following numerous complaints against the recruitment firms. "A total of 25 recruitment agencies have been deregistered or denied registration due to various reasons," he said. This is a follow-up of the government's efforts towards the regulation of private recruitment agencies and ensuring those Kenyans seeking employment do not fall prey into some unscrupulous dealings or those characterized by unethical practices.

Access to Genuine Recruitment Agencies

In response to the swelling number of complaints, the Ministry has taken steps to make it easier for the public to identify genuine recruitment firms. According to CS Mutua, a full list of all registered agencies is available on the National Employment Authority Information System accessible on www.nea.go.ke. The Ministry shall further cause the names of genuine recruitment agencies to be published in at least two national dailies annually to increase transparency. 

Collaboration with NEA and IOM

The Ministry in collaboration with NEA and IOM has established a monitoring framework for private employment agencies. This is a collaborative effort in ensuring that regulations are complied with to protect the migrant workers from exploitation. Furthermore, there will also be a programme that would incentivize recruitment agencies to adopt and implement the standards under the International Recruitment Integrity System.

Mechanism for Reporting Distress

A distress reporting system has thus been established through a Web Portal under NEA Information System (NEAIMS) to assist the workers in case of exploitation or distress. Apart from this, a Toll-Free Line (0800222223) has been established for the reporting of fraud and migrant worker distress cases. The Ministry invites public inputs onto these platforms for the reporting of unethical behavior on the part of the recruitment agencies to protect their rights.