Miriam Chauluka: The con woman masquerading as Sarova Imperial Kisumu HR Manager Sarova Imperial Kisumu, a premier hotel in the lakeside city, is embroiled in a scandal involving the exploitation of job seekers.
According to sources, con persons posing as HR managers of the hotel have been preying on unsuspecting individuals, with at least 20 jobless Kenyans losing up to Ksh 100,000 in the process.
One woman, in particular, is believed to be at the centre of the scam
Sources suggest that she has conned hundreds of thousands of Kenyans in the past and is well-versed in her trade.
The scheme involves luring job seekers with the promise of a successful job placement, after which they are required to register with the Association of Hotels Professionals Kenya (AHPK) through a payment to a specified bank account. The hotel, formerly known as Imperial Hotel Kisumu but later rebranded as Sarova Imperial Kisumu, has since distanced itself from the scheme.
However, it appears that this is not the first time such a scam has occurred.
According to sources, similar incidents have happened in the past, with applicants being brainwashed and losing lots of money in the process.
Several individuals who have fallen victim to the scam have come forward, with one source stating that they personally knew up to three people who had lost money.
Each of them wasconned anywhere from Ksh 3,500 to Ksh 5,000.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Sarova Hotels has refused to place a red alert on the issue, nor have they warned Kenyans about the false personnel masquerading as HR managers of Sarova Imperial Kisumu and Abdalla Yussuf masquerading as Registrar AHPK.
The lack of action from the hotel has raised questions about its commitment to addressing the issue.