Deputy governor blamed for jobs con game in his office
Residents of Embu county are decrying the existence of a cartel within the executive branch of the county government that is conning desperate job seekers.
According to the residents, the bold con men are known by top county employees and are used as go-between to swindle desperate job seekers of thousands of shillings in the pretense that they will ‘speak’ to those in power for the jobs.
“They are always in the county offices so when they ask you for money to secure a job for your friend, son or daughter you are duped,” said one resident.
The angry residents were speaking outside the Embu county government offices where they went to seek an audience with deputy governor, David Kariuki on the matter.
Nancy Wanja revealed that she gave money to a man only referred to as Njururi who allegedly works in the office of the deputy governor.
Wanja, who is a catechist, revealed that Njururi approached her promising to give her a job as a revenue clerk if she parted with Sh40,000.
DEFRAUDED
“He is very convincing and claims to work in the deputy governor’s office and anytime you visit the offices he is always around,” she said.
It also emerged that Njururi had allegedly defrauded residents seeking to be employed as Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers.
Martin Mugendi says he gave Sh40,000 to the man in question.
“He asked me to meet him outside the gate of the county where I gave him Sh20,000 and he went back to the county offices after I gave him the money,” another victim by the name Silas Mutheca said.
Mutheca said that he had borrowed the money from a Sacco after he was promised a job as a revenue officer.
The residents have accused the deputy governor of protecting the fraudsters.
“Con men can only thrive in environments they are accommodated. So the Deputy Governor should clear the air,” Mutheca said.
CON GAME
Speaking on phone, Embu Deputy Governor David Kariuki confirmed that he knows the said Njururi as a former classmate but denied that he works in his office.
The Deputy Governor also acknowledged that he is aware of the con game but denied that those defrauding residents were county government employees.
“I know the man in question, he was my classmate but he does not work in my office,” said the Deputy Governor adding that he has reported the matter to the police for investigations.
He also urged all residents who might have given any monies in the form of bribes to secure county jobs to report to the police and record statements.
However, Embu DCIO Michael Kimilu said he had not received any formal complaint about the con men from the deputy governor.
“We have not received any report or complaints from the deputy governor, we will take up the matter once reported,” said Kimilu.