For those Kenyans who have been in construction sites, we must have come across mean looking foremen you would think owned the construction agency. Some will treat you like a real slave while others double up as evangelists within the workplace. Here are ten types of foremen at mjengo sites in Kenya.
The evangelist
He will ensure you pray and preach to you the word of God before starting work at the site. Before and after you get paid your wages, he will remind you on the importance of paying your tithe as a way of saving for a rainy day.
The alcoholic
Unlike the godly above, this one is an alcohol addict and cant come to work bila kutoa lock. He is always tipsy when giving orders and goes a head to sleep when you are busy with work. His boss has always warned him against coming to work while drunk but the warning always falls on deaf ears.
The mkora/corrupt to the core.
He is the one who hides five bags of cement and pressures the mdosi to send more materials because they are not enough. You report to work for two days a week but he marks the roll call for a whole week. He will then give you your two days dues but pockets the rest without remorse.
Womanizer
The chap is married but he is fond of seducing and sleeping with all the women who come to sell food on the site. For that mama to get a business slot on site and ensure that the foreman ensures that nobody elopes with the debt, the lady in question has to be in good books. This includes payment in kind.
Toil Master
For him, workers are slaves and the boss should get the most out of them at a subtraction of the cost. If he sees you relaxing during work time, he will yell at you and call you all sorts of names. He will ensure that people work from 8am to 7pm and there is no overtime for extra hours worked. His focus is to please the boss for promotion and wage increases.
The proud
The way he boasts on site will make you think that he owns the construction company you are working for. He will keep reminding you on how many years he has been working with the company and how many construction companies are yearning to work with him.
Stone-faced
He is a no non-sense guy and rarely will you find him engaging in petty talks or discussions not concerned with work. He is always serious and there is no time you will ever find him happy or smiling. He does not like jokes at any point and woe unto you if you try to bring that to him.
The Lively/extrovert
He is normally loved by labourers because he gets along with most of them well. He may be strict at work but sometimes, he puts his work issues aside and cracks jokes like anyone else in the team. He freely mingles and interacts with other labourers to the extent that you may not think that he is your boss.
The workaholic
He is supposed to supervise others but you will find him busy doing the actual role supposed to be done by his juniours. He will work on those plastering until it is almost done then he can go and check whether the masons are doing the right thing. You will not easily find him lazing around or doing nothing during work time.
Chain smoker
Most of his times at work are dedicated to taking cigarettes rather than working. Since cigarrets are prohibited at the workplace, he will be retreating to the furthest corner of the construction site from where he normally takes his favourite energizer from. If you ask him, he will candidly tell you that his mind cannot function properly when he has not taken his favourite doze of cigarettes. He even have extra cigars which he sells to workers who need to regularly quench their thirst while at work. [Silas Nyamweya]
