NAIROBI, May 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The Kenyan government has finally
admitted that the much published jobs for over 10,000 Kenyans on
foreign cruise ships did not exist at all, local media reported
Thursday.
   The reports said Kenyan Labor and Human Resources Development
Minister Joseph Ngutu confirmed Wednesday that the jobs, which
were advertised by Al-Najat Marine Shipping Company, were indeed a
hoax.
   The minister also said that local agents had been ordered to
stop recruiting immediately and that detectives had been briefed
on the swindle and that a full investigation had been launched.
   At least 10,031 Kenyans were recruited last year for the
fictitious jobs on luxury vessels operating in the Middle East and
Europe and were conned out of 100 million shillings (about 1.28
million U.S. dollars), according to a 209-page confidential report
on the fraud.
   They paid over 9,500 shillings (about 122 dollars) each to
apply for the jobs, which  offered free medical care,
accommodation and meals on board, up to 760 dollars monthly in pay
and allowances, and plus 3 dollars an hour overtime.
   Applicants paid their money for registration, medical
examination and passports.
   But the jobs had not been realized until the applicants lost
patient early this year and began to protest at Kenya's biggest
port city of Mombasa asking for clearing the air or refunding
their money.
   Ngutu promised Wednesday that the government would act to
ensure that the victims would get their money back.  Enditem