This archive report was first published on 4 September 2019.
On September 4, 2019, the Forum for Restoration of Professional Engineering in Kenya (Forpe) urged the government to conduct an audit on all foreign engineers working in the country.
The association, led by Organising Secretary Martin Aluga, expressed concern over the increasing number of expatriates in the construction sector, particularly from China and Japan.
According to a 2019 gazette notice by the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) registrar, there were only five temporary foreign engineers in the country at the time, consisting of two Ugandans, one Jamaican, a Serbian, and a Rwandese.
However, Mr. Aluga disputed this claim, stating that the construction sector is indeed flooded with expatriates from China and Japan.
He called on the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Interior to conduct an audit to determine the actual number of foreign engineers working in the country and to make the information public.
Mr. Aluga also emphasized the need to guarantee the safety and security of local engineers working alongside foreign counterparts, as well as address their welfare and working conditions.
He condemned physical attacks on engineers, particularly from Chinese nationals, and unlawful dismissals, arguing that Kenya should prioritize local engineers for engineering projects that can be handled by them.
Furthermore, Forpe urged the government to expedite the appointment of EBK members, who have been absent since March, and to develop and ratify a national policy on structured engineering apprenticeship programs.
