Maua jobseekers dispersed from suspect NGO’s recruitment drive

Politics and policy

Some of the jobseekers who had turned up at Kasarani last month. PHOTO | FILE 

By DICKSON MWITI

Security officers in Maua cancelled a job recruitment drive planned by a controversial non-governmental organisation(NGO) that is the subject of investigations and dispersed hundreds of job seekers who had turned up.

East Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Safe Promotion International (SSASP International) had invited the job seekers to the Maua Methodist Church. Those seeking the jobs were required to pay Sh1, 000 before the interviews.

The NGO’s top officials had been arrested on September 2 in Nairobi, after they were unable to prove the authenticity of their organisation. They were then handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

On Thursday, the officials were summoned for questioning by county authorities, led by Assistant County Commissioner Lillian Njagi. Ms Njagi said no employer was allowed to ask for payment to secure a job for an individual.

“They have shown us some certificates, among them that of incorporation, but we were not satisfied. We have cancelled the exercise because they have not convinced us why they were asking for money from people,” said Ms Njagi.

“One of the main aims of the foundation, as they purport, is to eradicate poverty. Why should they ask for Sh1,000 from unemployed people who are probably seeking their first job?”

“Aren’t they impoverishing them even more?” She asked. The administrator advised young people to verify the credibility of jobs before applying for them to ensure they were not duped.

READ: State warns Kenyans against 'foundation' hiring thousands

“For instance, the organisation seeks 150 people per ward. Is this even viable?” She posed. In Nairobi, glaring inconsistencies emerged in the firm’s recruitment of more than 20,000 Kenyans in August.

Some of the applicants were offered two or three jobs, with appointment letters, in different stations by SSASP International after paying between Sh300 and Sh700 to access the recruitment venue the Kasarani stadium.

Mr James Kinyua, who had turned up for the Maua interview as an assistant logistics and procurement manager, said he received a message inviting him for the recruitment.

Ms Jane Kanake, who had been offered a job as an assistant manager in charge of orphans, said she had been at Kasarani, Nairobi, for the launch of the NGO and she was optimistic that she could land the job.

Antubetwe Ward Representative George Kaliunga accused some religious leaders of being behind the organisation’s activities in the area.

“Those who were given appointment letters at Kasarani have never started working. The NGO has no office where they operate from. How do people expect to get jobs from such people?” he asked.

Questions were also raised on the salaries offered to those supposedly hired in Nairobi. A driver, for example, was offered a salary of Sh80,000.