Investigations Confirm Kenyans Working at the SGR are Mistreated by Chinese Bosses

Labor Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani has confirmed that Kenyans working for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) are subjected to racial abuse, mistreatment and harassment by Chinese bosses.

Appearing before Senate Labour Committee, Yatani said a taskforce constituted by Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to investigate claims of mistreatment of Kenyan staffers at the railway confirmed the allegations were true.

The taskforce was appointed to probe the matter after an expose by a local newspaper on what Kenyans working at the multi-billion shilling new railway are put through.

Preliminary findings showed local workers are discriminated against while undertaking their duties. “While the Chinese have eateries in every work station, the local staff do not have this provision,” reads part of the findings.

The committee further found out that there was inadequate supply of drinking water and inadequate provision of protective gear especially in the truck maintenance, gantry cranes and freight units for Kenyan workers.

“The local staff suffers elements of harassment by their supervisors in the form of insults and intimidation,” stated the report.

“Key employment records were not availed to ascertain compliance with the law and to verify the claims of pay differences between the local and Chinese staff.”

The findings left Senators angered, questioning why Kenyans would be mistreated by foreigners in their own country.

Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura said, “How do you explain that Kenyans cannot eat with their Chinese counterparts? As Kenyans, we have a responsibility of protecting our fellow Kenyans.”

“Otherwise we will experience a scotch-earth policy where China will just treat us worse than the way the British colonised us.”

The team also established that suggestion boxes were placed under CCTV watch which discouraged usage by the employees. Instruction materials were also in Chinese language, which most Kenyan workers don't understand.

“Instruction materials are in Chinese language and the Chinese instructors are deficient in English and Swahili. Kenyan workers are forced to observe and cram operations of the machines without understanding what they are doing,” reads the report.