Government officials and other stakeholders meet investors expected to establish pharmaceuticals factory thereby creating jobs at EPZA in Athi River, Machakos County on Monday, January 8, 2018.(Photo/Maugo Owiti)
Thousands of job seekers on Tuesday thronged Export Processing Zone Authority in Athi River, Machakos County in search of jobs.
Independent investigations conducted by this writer revealed that majority of the women and youths are residents of Machakos and Kajiado counties with clicks of them from Nairobi and neighboring counties.
They include Degree, diploma and certificate holders while a majority are fourth form leavers seeking unskilled labor at the zone that accommodates hundreds of companies.
Esther Wangari, one of the job seekers said they had been visiting the zone since January 1, 2018.
Wangari said a few of those she met on her first-day visit to EPZA had secured jobs in various companies.
“It is not easy to secure a job if you do not know anybody, I have tried in vain while some of those I met here on the first day are now in and working,” said Wangari.
Jacinta Kanini, a Diploma holder in Business Administration said they were denied access to EPZA by its security officers.
Kanini said they were barred from accessing the companies in the parastatal to job seekers.
“It is crazy here, how is a Kenyan expected to secure a job if she is denied access to the employers,” said Kanini.
She said the government should intervene so that citizens who get to the zone to job seekers are not locked outside.
Kanini said those seeking for jobs in companies at the parastatal were allowed entry depending on ‘who knows you’.
Fanuel Kidenda, CEO Export Processing Zone Authority encouraged more investors in the zone to boost manufacturing sector thereby creating more jobs and ensuring skills and technology transfer to Kenyans.