A section of the youth in the country can now breathe a sigh of relief after China Road and Bridge Corporation announced that it will give employment priority to Kenyans when the construction of the Sh327 billion standard gauge railways starts next month.
CRBC, which has been contracted to build the railway, said the number of Chinese expatriates would be capped at about 2,500.
According to Julius Li, who is in charge of corporation and liaison affairs at CRBC a total of 30,000 local workers will be engaged at peak construction of the project.
This comes at a time when a section of the youth lashed out at the government for awarding major contracts to foreign companies that also import labor at the expense of many unemployed Kenyans.
Those who spoke to Ghetto Radio Business want the government to absorb civil engineering graduates who graduate each year from institutions of higher learning in the country.
The above agreement was reached by the company and the Transport ministry, which has a supervisory role on the project. Local firms are also set to supply materials to the project valued at Sh1.5 billion, as long as they meet specifications set by the contractor.
Currently, about 600 Chinese workers have arrived while 3,000 Kenyans have been employed in readiness for the project.
AUTHOR: BEN GUMO