At least 400 workers on Wednesday, 12 November, took to the streets and blocked the Kitale-Kapenguria highway in protest against poor working conditions on the Kitale-Morpus Road project in Trans Nzoia County.
The workers complained about their low pay and the harsh conditions they are subjected to by a private company hired to undertake the multi-billion-shilling project, which is funded by the African Development Bank and the European Union.
The workers also claimed that they were forced to work excessive hours despite receiving low pay, and that they were frequently intimidated and not provided with adequate safety measures.
According to the workers, the company hired to undertake the Ksh28 billion project on behalf of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had ignored their plights, forcing them to protest.
Addressing the press during the protest, the workers also accused the project supervisors of unfair dismissals, claiming that some of the employees were being fired over fictitious allegations.
"We are protesting today because of many issues, one is the issue of unfair dismissal; the supervisors are using unconstitutional and colonial-era methods to sack workers," said an employee.
He went on to add, "There is no chapter or Act in the Constitution that allows for the beating or unfair dismissal of a worker from their job. We are assaulted and sacked every time."
During the demonstration, the workers called on Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua to intervene immediately and secure their jobs, stating that they were their only source of livelihood.
The Kitale-Morpus project is a 75-kilometre project that connects Trans Nzoia and West Pokot Counties and is currently being undertaken by a Chinese company.
The road construction began in 2024 after the government of Kenya received funds from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Union (EU).
The project comprises civil works for the building of a single-carriageway road that is roughly seven metres wide, as well as bitumen re-carpeting of the highway.
The civil works also include the construction of service roads, town loop roads, and access roads, as well as the development of specific socioeconomic infrastructure.
