Nairobi — Labour CS nominee Alfred Mutua denies ever meeting Judy Jepchirchir, director of controversial First Choice recruitment agency linked to alleged jobs scam.
Mutua who spoke before the National Assembly Committee on Vetting said he first met Jepchirchir during a showcase held at Kenya International Convention Centre which linked the First Choice Recruitment Agency to his docket due to international job transfer.
Jepchirchir is accused of swindling many Kenyans of millions of shillings with a promise to get jobs and placement in colleges abroad.
"I remember we had a function at KICC where we had different stands. The stand of Ministry of Foreign affairs was next to the stand of Labour. I have never met this lady in my life, she was showcasing the program that they had of what was happening," he narrated.
Mutua defended himself saying he has never met Jepchirchir since the event explaining he didn't know her name while making introduction to President William Ruto who graced the occasion.
"The President came and told us to combine the two issues of labour because of diapora at that time.I was introducing the President to the people who were presenting and if you watch the clip I didn't know her name.
He just introduced herself and I have never met her again since that day," he stated.
Following the scenario, the Former Machakos Governor pledged compliance in labour agreements, if approved.
First Choice Recruitment Agency which is accused of allegedly defrauding youths of millions of shillings in Uasin Gishu county is not registered with the National Employment Authority.
The parents said that on several occasions, they asked the county officials to present them with the fee structures and Memorandum of Understanding that the county government entered with the Finnish Universities, but their appeals were snubbed.
Outcries about the First Choice Recruitment Scam came just a few days after the police arrested Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and two others over the Finland Canada scholarship fiasco. Mandago was later released on a Sh500,000 bail.