Olkaria plant on the spot over bias in employment

By Antony Gitonga

Communities surrounding Olkaria geothermal power plant in Naivasha are accusing the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (Kengen) of bias when it comes to employment.

Political and religious leaders from the communities accused the power generating company of employing workers from only one local community.

As a result, the communities have threatened to hold demonstrations or seek intervention of the World Bank and other international financiers for their complaints to be addressed.

According to councillor Kariuki Mujina from Maella Ward, the power company had disregarded other communities for years, favouring only one community.

He said the move was eliciting animosity between communities.

“Over 80 percent of middle and low cadre workers in various projects in Olkaria are from one community and we are asking the financiers of the projects to intervene,” he said.

Mr Mujina said areas of Maella, Ngondi, Ndabibi and Moi Ndabi had educated youths yet they were not getting a chance to work in the power company.

The sentiments were echoed by Olkaria councilor Peter Pallang’a, who said he had raised the issue a number of times with Kengen management.

He accused Kengen of taking sides when it came to employment.

Contacted on phone, Kengen Communication Officer Mr Kaara Wainaina noted that it was hard to accommodate all communities but maintained that no community had been overlooked as claimed.