First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency Director Judy Chepchirchir on Thursday failed to show up for the Senate Labor Committee that held its session at the Uasin Gishu County Assembly chambers.
The committee chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor has been hearing a petition against the Eldoret-based agency.
It was holding its last public forum in Eldoret where Chepchirchir was expected to attend and shed more light into the alleged scamming of hundreds of parents from the county.
But according to the director, she could not appear before the committee as her lawyer was away on official duty.
Despite her not attending the forum, Senators went ahead to hear the final submissions from the petitioners and some of the parents that fell victim to the now-suspected job scam.
Most of the victims narrated how they had to go the extra mile to raise the money they paid to the agency, only for them to end up being scammed.
“I paid Ksh40,000 cash. They never allowed MPESA or bank deposits and the receipt I was given had no stamp. I was to go to Qatar before the World Cup started but up to now, that never materialized,” said one of the victims.
Convinced to resign
Another victim said he was convinced to resign from a job that was paying Ksh25,000 monthly with a promise that the job he would secure abroad was paying better.
The victim had been employed by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
“Initially I was to pay for my sister but somehow they convinced me to also join the plan. I had to resign from my job but as we speak, I have no job. We are now struggling to make ends meet,” said another victim.
Another one told the Senators how he was forced to convince her mother to sell the only cow she had. With the botched program, her mother has fallen sick and other family members blame it on him.
Senator Murgor, addressing the press after the session said it was unfortunate that parents paid money but the intended service was never rendered.
“It was very pathetic to hear from the hustlers that they disposed of everything to take their children abroad but it didn’t happen,” said the Senate Labor Committee.
He said they will be meeting next week to draft a report that will be tabled in the Senate for consideration.
According to the Senator, the First Choice director should make an effort and refund all the victims or risk facing unspecified actions.
“My committee is up to the task and it will ensure justice to parents that lost a lot of money. I hope that once we have our report, there will be no other craftiness,” Murgor said.
Parents lost millions
It is estimated that over 5,000 parents paid money running into millions of shillings to the First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency for jobs in Qatar, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Efforts by the parents to seek a refund had previously hit a snag – forcing them to seek Senate intervention.
A similar petition was filed before the Uasin Gishu County Assembly which recommended cancellation of the agency’s licence.
However, the agency is still operating within Eldoret town.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei who is also a member of the Senate Labour Committee said they will be summoning the National Employment Authority (NEA) top management to explain why the operations of the agency had not been stopped.
