The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is turning out to be a national shame if the reports on leading dailies are anything to go by. What was supposed to be President Uhuru Kenyatta legacy project is turning out to be a poisoned chalice. Chinese nationals are riding roughshod on Kenyans working on the SGR and we can ONLY surmise they are the new colonial powers in town. Photos of Chinese ‘masters’ disciplining Kenyan nationals were leaked on social media. These, coupled with reports of poor pay and working conditions while Chinese working at the SGR live a life of opulence, dominated banter on social media platforms.
Government spokesperson Eric Kiraithe came to the defense of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), who financed and are running the SGR, saying the operations of the SGR must be run with military precision. What, however, he failed to mention was the number of Chinese nationals employed by CRBC and their salaries. This article will give you a glimpse of how China is wrestling the country from us.
Number of Chinese employed at the SGR
The number of Chinese on SGR payroll is 4,954, atleast according to an expose appearing on the Sunday Standard titled: “Revealed: The 5000- strong Chinese army powering the SGR”. Kenyans who have accused their Chinese counterparts of blatant racism number only 1600.
Chinese Nationals on the SGR payroll (estimated salaries)
Project manager- kes1.5 million
General manager-kes1.2 million
Two deputy managers-kes1 million
Civil engineers-1100-kes800,000
Bridge engineers-200-kes800,000
Railway engineers-150-kes550,00
Translators-120- kes250,000
Accountants-100-kes350,000 to kes640,000
Architectural engineers-90-kes500,000 kes800,000
Electrical and mechanical engineers-85-kes350,000 to kes640,000
Electricians-80-kes350,000
Cooks-50-kes250,000
Administration officers-30-kes300,000
Dieticians-15-kes250,000
Sweepers-kes90,000
Other expatriates include: bench workers, decoration engineers, business administrators, automation engineers, doctors of traditional medicine, computer engineers, chemical engineers, cost engineers, welders, crane conductors, chefs, secretaries and interpreters.
Sadly, some of these jobs don’t require any expertise and puts the government on the spotlight how it plans to tackle the soaring unemployment in the country.
SGR will be operated by CRBC for the next 10 years with minimal interference from the Kenyan government as part of the loan agreement by the Chinese government. Salaries of Kenyans working on the SGR
