Portland workers vow to boycott work if MD returns

By Ally Jamah And Luke Anami

The circus at the East African Portland Cement Company continues as workers vowed to boycott work if the suspended Managing Director Kephar Tande resumes work today.

And separately, Secretary General of Central Organisation of Trade Unions Francis Atwoli, who sits in the NSSF board, insists Portland is a public company.

On Sunday, about 200 employees of the company met in Athi River and warned that they will stay away from work, fuelling fears that a repeat of the violence seen last week would play out again.

"If Tande and his team return to work, we will stop working. They should stay away if they have the real interests of this company at heart," said Elijah Wakise of the Kenya Chemical and Allied Workers Union.

Tande has vowed to return to office today after a court decision last week quashed the move by acting Industrialisation Minister Amason Kingi to suspend him plus his board.

Last Friday, a man was shot in a fracas at the factory.

The MD wanted to serve the workers with a court order allowing him to work, but the employees blocked the gates and denied him entry, forcing police officers to shoot in the air.

Meanwhile, Atwoli has said at no time was the NSSF board informed that the Fund’s shares at Portland would be transferred.

"If you put NSSF’s shares and those of the Government together, the Government still controls majority shares making Portland a State corporation," he said.

The workers’ union boss distanced Cotu from a decision by the NSSF to transfer the shares, saying workers will not support the move as they were not consulted.

"To transfer shares at NSSF, one must seek the approval of both the ministers for Labour and Finance. In this matter no such request was granted. Portland can, therefore, not be a private company. We want the Prime Minister to intervene in this matter and stop what is going on at Portland."

Atwoli, who spoke at the burial of unionist Joseph Bolo in Homa Bay on Saturday, becomes the first NSSF Board of Trustees member to distance Cotu from a decision to dilute the shares at the controversial cement company.