COLONISATION BY ITALIANS AT KONZA TECHNO CITY SOBETRA UGANDA LIMITED a company currently undertaking engineering and construction works at KONZA TECHNO CITY SEXUAL HARASSMENT Women in the site are harassed sexually by the Italians. We as fellow workers have one time wanted to beat an Italian who publicly touched our colleague’s behind. This is known to even the Health and Safety manager, maybe there are reports done on this issue. WORKERS’ MISTRETMENT Firing of staff at a high Rate – Labour Laws are not followed as no warning letters are issued to staff for misconduct. The Italians who are mostly the bosses on the field, recommend their favorites for continued contracts. Short contracts of 1 month for a prolonged period time - Overloading of the worker’s buses – The staff buses used to ferry workers’ are overloaded to an excess of 20 – 30 workers. This has not been addressed even after having complained severally to the Management about it. Over time Some workers are called upon to work at night when need be and on this specific day a water pump broke down, the Italian responsible (usually very bossy and arrogant) Roberto Artuso, cancelled the overtime entitled to the poor workers after a very cold night.
Working at night also has its own challenges as wild animals including Pythons and Wilder beasts are known to frequent the site.
Sometimes the workers are forced to sleep under trucks as they cannot fit in the car provided, usually a single cabin. Late payments of salaries to workers This has led to multiple strikes by workers that has led to all being fired. Today being the 8th we have not received our salaries Unequal and low salary rates – These rates are in comparison with the main contractor ICM who’s rates are higher than Sobetra’s, the Building and Construction Union can prove this. They have been frustrated by the Management after requesting for meetings for Months to discuss the plight of the workers. Working late hours to pump waters from the tunnels that are flooded with water This was covered above under overtime cancellation, even after working on high risk hours and site KENYAN’S DENIED WORK The following positions are held by Italians and we feel that we have Qualified Kenyans to handle such offices. Project Manager from Italy – Antonio Foreman from Italy - Carmelo iii. Quantity surveyor from Congo - Pierre Construction Manager from Italy – Atos Cucchiaro Workshop Manager from Italy – Vincenzo Sperandeo Unknown Office – Roberto Artuso RACISIM The workshop manager by the name Vincenzo Sperandeo and Roberto Artuso are known to shut people down with racist comments e.g. like people from Africa are slow. Carmelo the Forman is known to harass masons, carpenters and steel fixers at the site. He has a designated driver who never leaves his sight even when there’s an emergency, because he risks being physically abused by the same Foreman. No African is allowed to board the company car with him including Surveyors and their helps. WORK PERMITS One expatriate is known to brag that he’s being paid for ‘visiting’ Kenya and with big pay cheque at home. Do they have work permits to work in Kenya? If so, why so many of them? Who issues this work permits while we have qualified Kenyans to occupy these offices? Is there a criteria used in issuance of the same? CONCLUSION: We call upon FIDA, Njoki Ndung’u, the woman Rep Kajiado, and Makueni Counties to come out strongly against the vice of Sexual harassment at Konza The Interior Ministry needs to intervene and immediately depot these Italians as investigations towards their work permits are conducted. The Immigration Department needs to be under close watch when it comes to Immigrants. The most notorious ones being Roberto Artuso, Vincenzo sperandeo, Carmelo Is due diligence being conducted on such Italians. Do we allow criminals into our country without proper investigation? Ministry of Labour, COTU, are called upon to investigate the salary rates of Employees and Gross Mistreatment of workers. Ensure that all Overtime owed to employees is paid and the state of workers improved. More buses to ferry workers are a priority