Stakeholders in the sugar industry
have called upon the government to launch investigations including a forensic
audit in the sugar companies to ascertain how hundreds of unskilled workers
from India and Pakistan accessed work permits that enabled them secure jobs in
the sugar sector mostly in western Kenya.
The call came from stakeholders in
the sugar sector of the economy who are indignant that Kenyan workers feel
frustrated due to the fact that all the important staff jobs are in the grip of
foreigners mainly Indians and Pakistanis.
The stakeholders want the government
to launch a head count on foreigners, and if possible, punish those who are
said to have recklessly and corruptly issued them with work permits.
It is being alleged that as many as
300 unskilled workers recruited through illegally established labuor agencies,
most of them operating within several Indian Temples in Kisumu,
Nairobi and Mombasa were recruited and issued with work permits at an
exorbitant prices ranging from Sh100,000 and Sh150,000.
The worst affected in the scam are
sugar companies in which the investors and entrepreneurs are Indians. This is
under the category of sugar mills that include West Kenya Sugar Company, Butali
in Kakamega and Trans-Mara Sugar Company in Narok.
These expatriate workers are engaged
in petty jobs, such as junior clerks, time keepers, sweepers, messengers,
account clerks, welders, fitters, mechanics, electricians, cane yard clerks and
even cooks specialised in cooking Indian cuisines for the expatriates. The
foreigners earn better salaries than the local despite of the latter holding
better academic and professional qualifications.
These unskilled expatriate
workers earns 10 times better salaries than the local African workers.
Their salary scales range from Sh25,000 and Sh80,000. But they take the whole
package home neatly without being subjected to mandatory deductions such as
NSSF and NIHF.
The highest paid Kenyan may be
taking home between Sh15,000 and Sh20,000 with exception of engineers and sugar
quality controllers. But the natives are forced to work only as casuals despite
their qualification and never issued with any appointment letter.
The discontent came afresh in the
wake of a damning report compiled by the CID saying the government is probing
the former Immigration and Registration of Persons minister Otieno Kajwang’
over the matter.
Available statistics show that two
sugar mills owned by Indians which are located in Kakamea county could have as
many as 70 foreign expatriate workers in the establishment. They are Butali and
West Kenya Sugar companies, whereas Kibos Sugar an Allied Industry which is
located near Kisumu town has the largest number of Indian and Pakistani workers
at about 49.
The situation is the same at the
Ndhiwa-based Sukari Industry where 34 foreign workers are employed at the
Narok-based Trans-Mara Sugar Company.
The latest complaints by three
stakeholders came about in the wake of newspaper reports last week that the
state is probing Kajwang’ over the alleged irregular issuance of citizenship to
foreigners.
The report which was compiled by CID
officers dates back to 2005. Out of 104 cases, Kajwang’ is reported to have
handled 60, Konchellah handled 34 while Jebii Kilimo handled 10. They once were
in charge of the immigration docket.
In most of the cases, the former
ministers granted citizenship to foreigners without due process. In 12 of the
cases, there was no proof of marriage while in 10 other cases; certificates
were forged with observations and recommendations made by the security vetting
report and citizen advisory committee falsified.
In 19 cases, there was no proof of
Kenyan parenthood. Between 2005 and 2010 there were over 5,000 people who
obtained Kenya citizenship of whom a majority were Indian and the
reminders Pakistanis, Somalis and Tanzanians, the report states.
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