Labour CS Alfred Mutua has sparked heated debate after claiming that most of those alleging they were conned by the government-backed Kazi Majuu program hail from a single community, suggesting the backlash may be politically motivated.

Mutua made the remarks on Spice FM on the morning of Wednesday, May 7. However, it was his assertion that ethnic and political incitement were fueling the controversy that stood out.

“The people complaining of scams, making noise, are all from one community. They’ve been incited by someone from that community, likely with political ambitions,” Mutua claimed in a video.

The CS argued that most of the delays being protested were due to government bureaucracy, not fraud.

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“This is a government of memos and meetings. Even when something can be done immediately, it waits for a file or a letter. That’s the problem,” he lamented.

Mutua said he inherited a slow and overly cautious public service system, but has since reduced the job deployment waiting time from over a month to 14 days, and he’s pushing for 10.

He added that in countries like Ethiopia, job clearance takes just five days, a benchmark Kenya should aspire to match.

The CS further stated that those who applied through legitimate government channels either got jobs or their money back, and nobody had been left hanging.

“If anyone wants out, they’re at liberty to request a refund,” he said.

However, he warned that the incitement and knee-jerk protests were hurting young people from the affected community.

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“Agencies are now hesitant to work with them. You delay by a week, and they’re protesting. It’s either their way or nothing,” he said.

Mutua emphasized the need for constructive dialogue rather than mob agitation, noting that some of the youths who had flown out as part of the program were also from the same community but had chosen to be patient.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing into 153 more recruitment firms suspected of operating unlawfully, even as the government works to streamline the diaspora jobs sector.

“We are a great country, and this is a great community. But when people are misled for personal gain, it’s the youth who suffer most,” he said.