Fraudulent Travel Agency Leaves Eldoret Residents Reeling, Losing Over 140 Million Kenyan Shillings in Promised Overseas Jobs
The company, Novice Global, promised job opportunities in Canada and Australia but failed to deliver. The proprietor, a resident of Australia with ties to Ziwa Uasin Gishu, launched the company last year and has since taken advantage of the residents, many of whom hail from Ziwa Uasin Gishu
Victims who collectively lost over 140 million shillings to Novice Global
A section of farmers and traders in Eldoret have expressed their frustration and anger after being swindled by a travel abroad agent company, losing over 140 million Kenyan shillings.
The company, Novice Global Service Consultants, promised job opportunities in Canada and Australia but failed to deliver. The proprietor, a resident of Australia with ties to Ziwa Uasin Gishu, launched the company last year and has since taken advantage of the residents, many of whom hail from Ziwa Uasin Gishu.
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Joshua Lagat from Nandi County, one of the affected individuals, recounts depositing 1.5 million shillings for his three sons’ opportunities to work abroad, stating, “I sold a property to secure my sons’ opportunities to work abroad. It’s painful to realize I’ve been conned of my money.”
Simon Cheruiyot, also from Ziwa, shares a similar story, mentioning how his father sold a parcel of land to raise travel costs, only to be left empty-handed. “I persuaded my father to sell and give me my portion of inheritance, hoping to work abroad and make enough money to buy myself land and help my siblings,” he said.
Wainaina wa Mwangi, an Eldoret-based businessman, laments taking a bank loan with the intention of traveling last October, only to fall victim to the scam. “Eldoret is a true con city. There are so many travel abroad companies conning residents here. We fail to understand what the security agents are doing to protect residents,” he expressed.
The affected individuals have reported the matter to security agencies and vowed to engage the Australian embassy to demand the deportation of the Novice Abroad Travel Agent proprietor.
Over the past year, Eldoret has experienced a surge in fraudulent activities, prompting widespread concern among residents.
Following a failed Education Scholarship airlifting program sponsored by the Uasin Gishu County government, which aimed to send hundreds of students to Canada and Australia, both students and parents took to the streets of Eldoret in protest. The botched program resulted in the loss of nearly a billion shillings, leaving numerous students and families disillusioned and financially impacted
The National Employment Authority (NEA) has allegedly shut down operations of some agencies, yet they continue to operate illegally. Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, remains a target for con agencies due to readily available disposable assets, including land owned by farmers.
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