Governor Salim Mvurya tells residents to reject SGR compensation

Governor Salim Mvurya has urged residents to reject the money proposed as compensation by contractors of the Standard Gauge Railway if they feel the money is little.

Mr Mvurya also wants the local people to be considered for employment in order to benefit from the project.

Mvurya said he will be holding a meeting with the residents on Friday after receiving a list of local employees from the contractor.

Speaking at Gwasheni Primary School yesterday, the governor advised his people not to sign up for compensation if they feel the amount is not justified.

A total of 71km strip of land will be used by the railway in the entire county and apart from the compensation issues, locals have raised complains in regard to the employment of non-locals in areas of Mwavumbo, Kasemeni, Samburu and Mackinon Road.

"We want to hold another joint public meeting with the contractors of the Standard Gauge Railway so that we ascertain the investor's genuineness in recruitment," Mvurya told the public.

He termed the compensation issue as critical and one that needs to be amicably solved. The governor argued that residents of Kwale cannot continue to be side-lined by the national government from investments that are rightfully theirs.

Area MCA Anthony Lukuni claimed that the employment was skewed to favour outsiders on pretext that the residents of Kwale are not educated.

Also in the meeting was Kasemeni MCA Anthony Yama who has threatened to lead a demonstration to paralyse operations at the company's Kwale headquarter so as to conduct a head count that would determine the background of those employed.

The governor delivered 100 roofing sheets and 50 bags of cement towards the rehabilitation of the school.

"We also promise a modern Early Childhood Development and Education Centre for the school to replace the one classroom that currently hosts 289 children," he announced.

Nominated MCA Fatuma Kadzo called on the students to focus more on their studies as opposed to having affairs that lead to early pregnancies.