Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago has expressed displeasure to the manner in which Chinese contractors in the country are carrying on their day to day activities.
Mandago further faulted the government for giving the first priority to the Chinese contractors in the awarding of mega tenders.
Speaking at the Eldoret Sports Club on Saturday, the Jubilee governor noted that the Chinese contractors do not add value to the local economic growth and only end up building good roads but leave locals with nothing in their pockets.
“It is sad that the government is giving priority to Chinese contractors in awarding almost all tenders to them yet the same people don’t eat Kenyan food or buy clothes in the country. They come with two or three clothes which they keep on changing throughout the years they work in this country,” he said.
Mandago challenged the national government to put in place a policy that will ensure at least 40 per cent of tenders are awarded to the locals.
“We need Kenyans to benefit from tenders so that our lives can improve. We are capable of funding our own projects by ensuring contracts such as road construction are given to locals and not foreigners who don’t transact business with us,” said the vocal county boss.
He further regretted that the Chinese contractors only employ Kenyans at construction sites paying them peanuts.
Several Chisene contractors have been awarded ongoing major road construction works across the country among them the Sh5.1 billion Eldoret Southern bypass.
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