First Choice recruitment scam: Victims threaten to resume demos if Ksh.1B is not refunded

Residents of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, who were victims of First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency's fake job racket have threatened to take to the streets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday if the Senate's recommendations are not implemented within a month.

This comes after the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare directed the recruitment agency to refund Ksh.1 billion that allegedly defrauded thousands of youth from the county.

The committee also wants property owned by the company’s directors, Jepchirchir and Faith Wariga, repossessed by the Assets and Recovery Agency if they do not refund the said amount to the over 8,000 youth.

Kimutai Kirui, who has been at the forefront of the fight for the issue, spoke to the media on Thursday and said that the Senate Committee's recommendations should be followed or they will take to the streets.

Kirui also hit out at Jepchirchir, whom he accused of swindling thousands of youth under the guise of taking them abroad for jobs.

“Let her (Jepchirchir) close shop…She doesn't have a license from the National Employment Authority... Let the woman not operate for five years, as well as her deputy director, and let her refund money to the five thousand youths she duped. She has not been airlifting students out of the country,” he said.

He slammed Jepchirchir and her company, calling it a “con game and a pyramid scheme" involving businessmen and politicians.

His sentiments were shared by other residents who had gathered in solidarity to plan the demonstrations.

"Our lives are over; you know how much this company cost us. People are suffering. We are not going to fear anyone. The only language we understand is our money. We need our money back," said another resident.

They demanded justice and called for Jepchirchir’s arrest, further seeking her removal from office due to what they termed as incompetence.

"There's a recommendation for her arrest…we’re waiting for the conclusion of the police investigation so she can be held accountable," Kirui said.

Kelvin Koech, another victim, stated; "William Samoei Ruto, we hear you saying 'mambo ni matatu’ kwa cartels wote, why don't you deal with cartels of Uasin Gishu? We want Judy to refund, Judy to be arrested, her company to close shop.”

“We have been seeking a refund for two years now…. We lost our money; we lost time to demonstrate; our children have no jobs. We want our money back," Seli Yego, an afflicted parent, said.

More than 200 youth in Uasin Gishu County accused the recruitment agency in Eldoret of promising them World Cup jobs in Qatar that never materialised.

The agitated youth stormed the County Commissioner’s office in Eldoret on September 19, 2022, asking relevant State agencies to help them regain their hard-earned money.

The affected residents in August this year appeared before the Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee to narrate their experience with the recruitment agency.

One of them - Sammy Boire, a boda boda rider - told the Senate committee that Jepchirchir had been intimidating them by invoking President William Ruto’s name.

Jepchirchir also appeared briefly before the committee, but was kicked out after refusing to retract and apologize for her remarks accusing the committee of bias.