Nakuru County has urged members of the public to stay vigilant amidst a spike in fraudsters posing as Nakuru County Government employees, asking for payment in exchange for jobs.
The County Secretary, Dr. Samuel Mwaura, warned the public against falling prey to the unscrupulous individuals and advised them to be vigilant and avoid engaging with anyone purporting to act on behalf of the County government.
In a circular dated November 25, the County Government notified the public to be aware of such scammers, who lure them into giving them huge sums of money with a promise to give them jobs and promotions at the County government.
“The public is duly notified to beware of unscrupulous individuals posing as Nakuru County Government employees with the intention to defraud unsuspecting Kenyans by calling or sending text messages and asking for payment to get offers for jobs advertised by the devolved unit,” stated the notice.
Dr. Mwaura clarified that the County Government conducts all recruitments and promotions transparently and strictly based on merit, adding that any official announcements regarding employment opportunities were being made through the county government’s official website, social media channels, and through the official county email address.
He appealed to members of the public to regularly visit their official website to get updates on genuine job advertisements to avoid falling victim to the scammers.
“If approached, report such incidents to the nearest police station or contact the Nakuru County Government’s number, 0512214142,” Dr. Mwaura advised.
The County Secretary confirmed that many Kenyans were being conned by tricksters who pretended to be members of the County Public Service Board, saying they had received numerous calls from members of the public claiming they had received calls from their employees concerning the available jobs and promotions.
He explained that the devolved unit was offering equal opportunity to all applicants seeking employment and did not solicit for bribes to recruit its staff through agencies or agents.
Dr. Mwaura urged unemployed youths in the county to follow laid-down and clear procedures while applying for jobs in the public and other sectors to avoid being conned.
“The County Government of Nakuru does not ask for any funds to offer jobs, and any such requests are criminal and should be treated as such,” he affirmed.
He urged the public to be on high alert to avoid losing money to such people, saying both the county and national government as well as other potential employers do not carry out any recruitment for employment without formal public advertisements.
Dr. Mwaura warned that the government would take action against any employee at the County government found colluding with such fraudsters and asked those who have fallen prey to volunteer any information to assist in their arrests.
By Esther Mwangi
