This archive report was first published on 4 September 2019.
September 4, 2019, marked a fateful day for Kennedy Maina, a local technician working on the Ksh.20 billion Thiba dam project. Maina had reported Austrian national Hinteregger Yugen to the police after he allegedly almost killed him at work.
According to Maina, Yugen, the supervisor, was a violent person who frequently referred to workers as 'bushmen and idiots.' He physically abused some of them, and Maina had to shout for help after Yugen threw a metallic door at him.
Following the incident, a meeting was held at the construction site, where Gichugu MP Gichimu Githinji assured the workers that nobody would be victimized. About 10 workers who had been fired by Yugen were also reinstated.
However, Maina's contract was not renewed, and he is now pleading with MP Gichimu to intervene and save his job. 'Please Gichugu MP, I want my contract renewed and I'm being victimized,' Maina said.
Strabag Commercial Manager Sven Krueger denied Maina's claims, stating that his contract had expired and the company had the power to renew or not renew it.
