The Kazi Majuu programme was introduced by the government as a way to reduce unemployment by helping Kenyans secure jobs in other countries. Since its launch, officials claim that more than 400,000 Kenyans have found work abroad through this initiative.
It also includes special programmes like the Mwalimu Majuu, which targets Kenyan teachers. While the idea behind the project sounds promising, the reality for many job seekers has been full of frustration, fraud, and broken promises. There have been numerous complaints from people who say they were conned by recruitment agencies who took their money and passports but never delivered any jobs.
Senator Crystal Asige has taken a leading role in fighting for the rights of these victims. As chair of the Senate Labour and Social Welfare Committee, she has been actively investigating the programme and pushing for accountability. She directed those affected to visit a redress desk located at the NSSF Building in Nairobi to lodge complaints.
The desk is open during working hours and is supposed to help the victims begin the process of getting justice. She also ordered all recruitment agencies to collect and submit records of every case they handled, and to process refunds within 21 days. The National Employment Authority has supported her move by sharing different ways victims can report their complaints, including through email or a toll-free phone number.
Despite Asige’s efforts, the Kazi Majuu programme still faces many challenges. More than 30 recruitment agencies have been blacklisted for engaging in fraudulent activities. Job seekers say the application system is hard to use and that the whole process lacks transparency.
Some reports even claim that agencies admitted during Senate hearings to keeping people’s passports and collecting fees without providing any jobs. Labour CS Alfred Mutua has tried to defend the programme by saying that all the criticism is politically motivated, but the facts shared by the victims tell a different story.
Crystal Asige’s commitment to ensuring accountability stands out. Being visually impaired herself and a strong advocate for marginalized groups, she brings a unique perspective to the table.
Her actions have created real hope for the victims who were beginning to feel abandoned. But while progress is being made, many challenges still remain. The programme cannot be considered successful if it continues to expose job seekers to fraud.
For Kazi Majuu to work as planned, more must be done to protect Kenyans from dishonest agencies and ensure everyone can access its services fairly.
