The National Employment Authority has banned 400 recruitment agencies involved in recruiting Kenyans for job opportunities abroad.
The Authority’s Chairman, Vincent Kigen, stated that the agencies were sending Kenyans to non-existent jobs.
This follows President William Ruto’s November 5 remarks stating that the government has deregistered over 600 rogue labour recruitment agencies to protect Kenyans seeking jobs abroad.
Speaking in Doha, Qatar, during a meeting with Kenyans in the diaspora on the sidelines of the United Nations Social Development Summit, the President said the government is reforming the labour migration sector to ensure safety for Kenyan workers.
He stated that labour deployment is now permitted only to countries with formal bilateral agreements with Kenya.
“To safeguard Kenyan workers, more than 600 rogue labour agencies have been deregistered. The deployment is now limited to countries with formal bilateral labour agreements with Kenya,” Ruto said.
National Employment Authority Bans Recruitment Agencies
Early in November, the government also deregistered 680 recruitment agencies nationwide for breaching labour regulations, in an effort to shield Kenyans from fraudulent overseas job schemes.
The Ministry of Labour said the action follows investigations revealing that many of these agencies were operating without valid licenses, putting job seekers at risk of exploitation and financial loss.
The crackdown gained urgency after a July viral video showed youths from the Coast region protesting against fake recruiters.
Also Read: Over 100 Kenyan Workers Leave for Jobs Abroad
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua reported that the Multi-Agency Labour Mobility Taskforce had received over 100 formal complaints from victims in 15 counties, who collectively lost more than Sh17.3 million to con artists promising lucrative overseas jobs.
“Most of the victims approached us after being promised high-paying jobs abroad, only to end up stranded, financially devastated, and in some cases without travel documents,” Mutua said.
Also Read: How Kenyans Held Abroad Endured Torture and Forced to Con Online Users
44 Recruitment Agencies Accused of Defrauding Kenyans Summoned
The Ministry of Labour released a list of recruitment agencies allegedly defrauding Kenyans.
In a statement on July 18, 2025, Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfread Mutua announced that the government is in the process of cracking down on rogue agencies following multiple complaints from the public.
“Following the ongoing crackdown on fraudulent recruitment agencies and individuals involved in illegal labour mobility schemes, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, through the Multi-Agency Response Team, has recorded dozens of formal complaints from Kenyan citizens who have been defrauded, misled, or exploited by unregistered and unlicensed actors,” read part of the statement.
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