The government has blacklisted 30 recruitment agencies accused of operating illegally under the guise of offering overseas jobs, in a move Labour CS Alfred Mutua says aims to clean up the murky world of diaspora job placements.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, chaired by Senator Julius Murgor Recha, Mutua tabled the list as he responded to mounting pressure over claims that some Kenyans had been scammed under the state-backed Kazi Majuu programme.

Among the banned firms are First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy, Talent Getaway Limited, Gulfway Recruitment Company Limited, and 27 others now under scrutiny. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is also investigating 153 additional firms believed to be engaging in illegal recruitment.

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But Mutua defended the Kazi Majuu initiative, stating that no applicant who went through the official government process had been conned.

“There’s no one who paid money and hasn’t either traveled or gotten their money back in the Kazi Majuu program,” he said, adding that those who wanted refunds were free to request them.

Mutua blamed bureaucratic bottlenecks in government for delays in deployment, citing outdated systems inherited from colonial governance structures.

“It used to take over a month to clear someone to travel. I’ve cut it down to 14 days, and I want to reduce it further to 10,” he said, while lamenting that excessive red tape and a fear-driven public service culture had slowed progress.

Just three days ago, he posted photos and videos of over 100 Kenyans flying out to Qatar, Iraq, Russia, Dubai, and Serbia as part of the program, a move aimed at proving that the initiative was functional and impactful.

The controversy, however, continues to swirl, especially as the Ministry grapples with public trust. The communication gap, Mutua admitted, had left room for misinformation to spread.

“We’ve realized we must do better in explaining the process,” he noted, while urging patience and caution against politicizing the issue.

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List of the blacklisted agencies:

1. Gulfway Recruitment Company Limited
2. Royal Capital Placement Limited
3. Geoverah Agency Limited
4. First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Limited
5. Daawo Holdings Limited
6. Makungu International Limited
7. Talent Getaway Limited
8. Jakarta Ventures Limited
9. Skill Dove Limited
10. Gifted Minds Tours Travel Limited
11. Tangofox Limited
12. Alemtyaz Travel Agent Limited
13. Rhodevo International Limited
14. Flexturch Recruitment Limited
15. Omran Aly Agencies Limited
16. Alsari International
17. Leisamis Recruiters
18. Skyward Global Dimensions Limited
19. Kalezon Limited
20. Abamwe Investments Limited
21. Mastermind Ventures Limited
22. Broadlink Travels Agency Limited
23. Kistamu Agency Limited
24. Global Career Crew Listings
25. Mega Recruitment Limited
26. Novice Global Consultancy Limited
27. Mowasalat Mapower Limited
28. Vintmark Travel Agency Limited
29. Trustpin Verified Agency Limited
30. Man and Swa Recruitment Palace