UASIN GISHU, Kenya – Senior police officers in Uasin Gishu County and representatives of the National Employment Authority (NEA) have been recommended to face disciplinary action by the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), Office of the Ombudsman, for their negligence, intimidation of complainants, and failure to protect vulnerable job seekers during the First Choice Agency recruitment scandal.
This comes after the Commission released a thorough investigation report in response to a petition filed by human rights advocates and impacted youth regarding alleged fraud, regulatory violations, and collusion between law enforcement officers and First Choice Agency Recruitment and Consultancy’s operations.
Speaking during the opening of the CAJ North Rift Regional Office in Eldoret, CAJ Chief Executive Officer Charles Dulo stated that the inquiry revealed significant security agency shortcomings that suggested potential coordination with Judy Jepchirchir, the owner of the agency.
“The results show that police officers who were supposed to safeguard citizens engaged in alarmingly high levels of administrative carelessness, intimidation, and inaction. Due to these mistakes, fraud flourished, and victims were silenced rather than helped,” said Dulo.
According to the study, the Commission discovered that a number of senior National Police Service officials had disregarded complaints filed between September and December 2022, in violation of the National Police Service Act.
Who are the police officers implicated in this matter?
Additionally, other policemen were charged with intimidating and threatening complainants who had lost money to the agency and wanted justice.
The officers mentioned include the former Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Eldoret Police Station, the current Turbo Deputy SCCIO, the former Officer Commanding Crime (OC Crime) Eldoret Police Station, and the former Turbo Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer (SCCIO), who is currently serving in another county.
Within six months, the Commission ordered the National Police Service Commission to file a compliance report and begin the proper disciplinary action.
Senior officials at the National Employment Authority, including the Director-General and the Director of Labour Migration, were blamed for regulatory lapses that permitted First Choice Agency and other unregistered firms to operate unchecked.
How did Kimutai Kirui react to this particular matter?
Taking disciplinary action and reporting back to CAJ is the directive given to the Principal Secretary for Labour and Skills Development.
Human rights advocate Kimutai Kirui, who guided impacted youth in their pursuit of justice through the Centre Against Torture, commended the Commission for maintaining its integrity in the face of what he called weakened law enforcement.
“We are grateful to the CAJ Eldoret office, and Lilaco in particular, for providing us with support even when security agencies seemed to be compromised in providing justice to fraud victims.” We hope that other independent officers would take a cue from the CAJ and uphold the Constitution’s mandate to serve Kenyans,” Kirui stated.
Kirui said that hundreds of young people were tricked into paying fees of up to Sh40,400 and more, frequently in cash, without getting the promised placements. Many of these individuals were unemployed and yearning for overseas work possibilities.
He warned county government representatives not to support or participate in private recruitment events run by unlicensed organisations because doing so gives fraudulent schemes legitimacy.
“County officials’ presence turns into a promotional tool. He continued, “Unsuspecting residents lose their money to unregistered agencies because they assume legitimacy.”
Since late 2022, the First Choice Agency controversy has received extensive coverage in the local media. This was due to protests by young people in Eldoret who claimed that the company was collecting millions of shillings under the guise of employment and educational opportunities abroad, including purported connections to jobs related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare recommended a formal investigation by CAJ in early 2023 after reports from national broadcasters and print media revealed extended police inaction, alleged intimidation of complainants, and postponed investigations.
What is the impact of the CAJ regional offices?
According to the Commission’s inquiry, the organisation employed unregistered organisations to facilitate student placement and recruitment without enough control, had satellite offices throughout multiple counties, and leveraged social media and roadshows.
The CAJ said that it has received more than 3,000 complaints, many of which have to do with employment issues, land rights, and poor administration.
Evans Kapkea, the deputy governor of Uasin Gishu, praised the growth of CAJ regional offices, stating that it will relieve court burden and assist in resolving historical land injustices through alternative dispute settlement procedures.
Our courts have been bogged down for years by numerous land-related conflicts. Through mediation and other ADR procedures, this office will assist in resolving these injustices more quickly and amicably, according to Kapkea.
The Commission reaffirmed its demands for legislative changes, accelerated completion of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ investigations, and the exclusion of First Choice Agency and its director from future registration.
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