The Standard Gauge Railways project’s contractor, China Roads and Bridge Corporations, will employ diversified Kenyans without any discrimination for a national outlook.
This was disclosed by the SGR Project Manager, Maxwell Mengich, who said the project is national hence need to embrace all, as a way of promoting cohesion and integration among communities and in bid of ensuring professionalism and efficiency of the project.
Eng. Mengich called on county administrators from the five counties where the project will be implemented to sensitize members of the public on need to embrace Kenyans from other communities, importance of the project and socioeconomic benefits that it would have on them.
He said job applications from all Kenyans would be considered for skilled labour positions during recruitment, short listing and hiring be based on merit and professionalism without putting into account region of origin.
The manager said this would enable the contractor nurture skills created during implementation of phase one of the project which is construction of Mombasa – Nairobi Railway, to later ease execution of other phases. He assured locals that they would be given 100% consideration on casual labourers’ recruitment among other opportunities that would come with the project at its implementation stage.
Eng. Mengich urged the provincial administrators to be part of the project and own it by ensuring security at all stages and engaging communities in sensitization fora as needs arise.
“This project is for all of us as Kenyans, leaders and government officers, let’s be part, own it and sensitize the communities we lead on its importance for its success,” Mengich said.
He said the Kenya Railways Corporation would ensure the administrators are consulted and fully involved in all stages of the project’s implementation. According to the officer, the project would absorb a maximum of 2,500 technical Chinese staff to give room for hiring minimum of 30,000 locals from the counties.
He said the cooperation had formed liaison offices among all stakeholders to engage members of the public and ensure public participation, alongside ironing out communal issues that would arise during the implementation.
Eng. Mengich made these remarks during a Standard Gauge Railway Consultative Meeting with Machakos County Commissioner’s team at Athi River Hotel in Machakos County last week.
The meeting was attended by all Machakos County; Deputy County Commissioners, Assistant County Commissioners, Chiefs and their assistants led by the Machakos County Commissioner, Ann Gakuria.