Uasin Gishu residents, including youth and parents swindled by First Choice Recruitment Agency on Thursday vowed to stage protests three days every week until further notice
The residents want the national government to enforce a Senate Committee's recommendations ordering the agency to be shut down and victims to be refunded their money.
First Choice Recruitment Agency, owned by Businesswoman Judy Chepchirchir, stands accused of orchestrating a fraudulent jobs scheme.
Victims were allegedly lured into paying money under the false pretense of securing job opportunities abroad.
Taking to the streets, the residents lamented that the company's directors have established two new entities under different names and are continuing their operations as usual.
As such, the residents asserted they will not relent until their demands are met.
“People are really suffering. We are not going to fear anyone. If action is not taken, we have one language, that is demonstrations, we need our money back,” Kelvin Koech, one of the protestors said.
The residents also want the government to investigate recruitment agencies operating in the region which they claim have been and continue to swindle residents.
“We want DCI to investigate, here in Uasin Gishu, here in Eldoret town. There are a lot of agencies scamming people, claiming to connect workers with jobs abroad demanding between Ksh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000, yet they never take anybody there,” Kimutai Kirui one of the protesters stated.
The residents also want influential politicians implicated in the scandal, including two Cabinet Secretaries investigated over their alleged involvement in the scam.
The demonstrations came one day after Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui distanced himself from the saga maintaining that he was not linked to the company in any way as widely reported in the press.
"I have always conducted myself with a high level of professionalism; honour and dignity while discharging my duties at all times," he stated.
"Therefore, I urge Kenyans to ignore these malicious reports with the contempt it deserves. In conclusion, I demand an unequivocal apology with equivalent prominence."
Chelugui issued the statement following speculation that he was being investigated by the Senate and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged links to the company.
