By Jorai Wekesa
A section of Uasin Gishu residents have come out to protest over what they term as increased cases of travel agencies coming them.
The agencies, the locals say, promise to secure them jobs abroad but disappear immediately they pay the required amount of money.
Most of them have now lost millions of shillings to the rogue agencies, many of who had been promised lucrative jobs in Finland and Turkey.
“We were told to pay for our Visa and preparations for our travels but three months went by without nothing, it then became a year,” said Virginia Kibe, one of those who fell victims of the scam.
“It has been promises after promises since then. Nowadays the travel agencies that was to take us abroad has only secretaries. The boss is nowhere to be seen, his phone is always on flight mode,” she added.
Peter Mwangi, another victim said his attempts to get a refund at the embassy was futile.
The Embassy said it could not help in pursuing the matter. He had to return to the agency and fight to get back his money.
“They told me instead of refunding the money, they will plan for my travel to Turkey,” Mwangi said.
He was initially expected to travel to Finland.
These are just many of the locals within Uasin Gishu and neighbouring countries that have fallen victims to the fake job scams.
Families in agony after being conned
Families are now in agony after selling their priorities in hope their sons and daughters will move abroad for better lives.
In the recent years, Eldoret has witnessed a surge of travel agencies and many locals seeking to move abroad.
But while some agencies are legitimate, most of them are in the business of coning unsuspecting members of the public with fake promises for jobs abroad.
Kimutai Kirui, a human rights activist blames the National Employment Authority for the current mess created by the travel agencies.
“99 percent of the travel agencies in Eldoret are fraudsters. Only one percent age genuine. But even for the one percent, none is assured of securing a job opportunity abroad,” Kirui told Uasin Gishu News.
He also accuses the police of failing to deal with the directors of the rogue travel agencies.
