Airport ward residents in Mombasa have protested against a construction company for what they allege non-inclusion of locals in employment opportunities.
The demonstrators led by area Member of County Assembly Ibrahim Oyugi Omondi alias BOMOA demanded employment of locals as enshrined in labour laws for contractors to include locals when engaging in public projects.
Employees ferried from Uganda
The MCA said the company has been giving unconvincing excuses including saying they hire Ugandans because they source materials from Uganda which locals are against.
“Which labour policy in Kenya states that when you source materials from a particular country you also source human resource from there?” Wondered the MCA
The demonstrators most of them youths said for the last six months workers to the site have been ferried from neighbouring country which they term as unfair.
Omondi said they have demanded for immediate action to resolve the issues before it escalates drawing tensions on the ongoing constructions by the contractor in the area.
Omondi claimed the foreigners are sneaked in through the fence since the issue has drawn attention of the locals demanding for their rights.
Some employees were witnessed being sneaked out from the site through the fence and escaped with the demonstrators baying for their blood.
The demonstrators said the foreigners were sneaked out after the protests fearing for their safety or being found by authorities in the country illegally.
The MCA said it would be prudent to employ locals to carry unskilled labour while the professionals carry on with their skilled expertise.
“If the leadership of China Communication and Construction Company can’t strike a deal with local leaders and seek a way forward where drivers, mechanics and technicians must be taken from Uganda we will mobilize the whole county of Mombasa to come in support of our plea,” Warned the MCA.
Many youths unemployed in Mombasa
Nelson Mandela the Chairman of the locals seeking employment at the site said they have been coming to the site every morning for over 6 months now and none has gotten an opportunity.
He said there are over 19 foreign employees at the site with no locals who have papers and qualify to be employed and feed their families terming it as very hurting experience.
“We don’t want to be thugs in the streets to meet the police with shoot to kill orders. We need work to help our families” he added.
