- The First Choice boss also clarified that she would appear before the Senate select committee and had nothing to hide.
- She lashed out at those equating her firm to the Uasin-Gishu County Finland education scholarship.
Judith Chepchirchir, the woman at the centre of the controversial overseas employment agency, has claimed that some politicians were out to cripple her business.
Chepchirchir, CEO of First Choice recruitment and consultancy agency says she has already refunded money to 448 potential workers who failed to secure employment as earlier promised.
Speaking in Kabiyet of Mosop sub-county, Nandi, the First Choice boss also clarified that she would appear before the senate select committee and had nothing to hide.
Accompanied by parents whose children had secured jobs abroad plus tens of workers who are waiting to travel overseas for work, Chepchirchir said her firm should not be blamed for missed opportunities.
“One cannot travel abroad without a police certificate of good conduct because there are delays in the process while the same to travel passports…if at the time a worker receives it and time of report has elapsed, who is to blame?” Chepchirchir posed.
She lashed out at those equating her firm to the Uasin-Gishu County Finland education scholarship saying they don’t engage in securing education opportunities nor do they send workers to Finland.
“We secure employment opportunities to countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom only,” Chepchirchir asserted.
The first choice boss said some of those who testified before the senate labour committee in Eldoret had been coached yet they were not genuine persons they had dealt with.
Madina Sheikh, a mother of Six and whose son was linked to employment in Dubai by the firm defended the organization over claims it is scandalous.
“Those who want a refund of their money can walk to the firm's offices in Eldoret and collect their consultancy fees paid to the company.
“I have sort permission to appear before the labour committee to shade light, I could not appear at the Eldoret sitting because my lawyer was not within the country at the time because of the short notice,” Chepchirchir added.
She said over the past 3 years of existence, the firm had secured over 700 employment opportunities for the youths abroad and wondered why institutional problems were being transferred to them.
“All Kenyans know the delays in securing a travel passport, police certificate of good conduct yet time elapses while waiting for them to enable one to leave the country,” she said.