Police called in as hundreds of job-seekers throng EPZA for non-existent work
Hundreds of job-seekers have been camping at the Export Processing Zone Authorities (EPZA) factories in the last one week, forcing intervention from the police.
A huge crowd of job-seekers have been witnessed at the zone main gate and respective company entry points struggling to get attention of securing employment.
The tens of desperate job-seekers have been queuing for non-existing jobs leading to a stampede where several people have been left nursing injuries.
In November and December last year, most textile companies closed down temporarily for the end of year. Several companies resumed operations this week attracting job seekers in droves.
The dejected men and women who have been spending hours at the export zone say their desperate move is due to lack of employment.
“Majority of us here used to work here before the companies took a break. We are not getting communication of why we have not been called back to duty. We are here along other job seekers just trying our luck. It is unfortunate that instead of the company’s communicating they instead involve police to chase us away. Some people are being absorbed and that is what has been keeping our hope alive coming here everyday,”said Lydia Abala, a job seeker.
The same sentiments were echoed by John Kioko who wondered why the export companies management were not keen in making it clear of the number of workers they intend to recruit.
“ We are in total confusion. If a company breaks for holiday, does it mean the job ended without communication? We have some companies like Mars recruiting workers but the criteria is not definite and is causing alot of confusion,” narrated Kioko.
The job seekers want EPZA to come out clearly on available job opportunities and the Kenya Kwanza government to intervene and solve the problem of employment across the country.
In the close of business, the job seekers are usually dispersed by police officers to go home.
The company management has been reluctant in addressing the issue.
EPZA boasts of at least 17 companies mainly dealing with apparel and has over 25,000 workers.
In the last three months, several elephants have been killed by locals in Kajiado South over the conflicts which have seen three people die in a span of two months from attacks by jumbos.
Local leaders slam KWS rangers accusing them of engaging with illegal charcoal trade instead of protecting the locals.
Recently governor Joseph Ole Lenku vowed that he will led local leaders and residents in closing all animals corridors owing to the continuous unaddressed human wildlife conflicts in the County.
Amboseli National Park in Kajiado South is home to majority of elephants in the country.
Kajiado also borders Tsavo National Park, Nairobi National Park and is home to Kyulu National Park making it prone to human-wildlife conflict. It is also home to tens of private and communal sanctuaries.