Malawians are shocked with the news that government is distancing itself from recruitment of youths for the Israeli labour export deal, saying that is the domain of the Israeli Government and not the Malawi Government.

The explanation comes after a group of about 1 500 youths seeking jobs engaged Ombudsman Grace Malera to intervene in the government-led recruitment process.

Led by Dingiswayo Kumwenda, the group filed a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman on July 23 2024, accusing the government of shortlisting for interviews only 20 percent of the initial job seekers in preference to a new crop of applicants.

In a letter dated August 5 2024 has seen, Malera wrote Ministry of Labour Principal Secretary Chikondano Mussa inviting the ministry to an inquiry session, which was initially scheduled for August 13 2024.

Malera said the job seekers claimed to have suffered injustice purportedly because at the time government took over the programme from private agencies, some applicants had already satisfied requirements, incurred costs and were ready for dispatch.

She said: "They claim that other members from their group were not shortlisted for the interviews and they are of the view that this is unfair because they were promised to be prioritised. "

Following submissions by the ministry and the job seekers, Malera, in a second letter dated August 16 2024, wrote Private Employment Agencies Association, Workers for Arava and Lions Recruitment Agency, inviting them to a meeting.

Kumwenda, in an interview yesterday, claimed that the ministry proceeded to secretly send a list of 671 names to Israel for the selection of 500 successful applicants based on an existing order of labour in that country.

However, Mussa yesterday dismissed claims that only 20 percent of the old applicants were recruited, saying the genuine figures were hovering around 80 percent.

She said: "There is an MoU which binds the whole process and is clear on recruitment agencies. They will not destroy the MoU because of self-interests."

Article 7 of the MoU provides that the ministry will send to Population and Immigration Authority names of shortlisted candidates for review, after which the Israeli agency will authorise interviews locally.

In April this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo and her Israeli counterpart Israel Katz signed the MoU in Tel Aviv on behalf of their respective governments.