At least 300 employees of the Jiangxi International who were contracted to build the Africities Convention Centre in Kisumu have downed their tools.
The distraught employees on Thursday engaged police in running battles as they demonstrated outside the construction site demanding review of their agreement with the employer.
Among their grievances were lack of safety at work, low and late payments as well as lack of payslips.
They also demanded for salary increase from the current Sh450 per day, double allowance on holidays and provision of house allowance.
The convention centre is supposed to host this year’s Afri-Cities summit from May 17th.
With May 4, being the initial date set for the completion of the facility, any further delays are feared could delay the project.
The employees also want the nine working hours reduced to eight hours prescribed by the labour laws.
“We have complained since last year November but nobody has listened to us. We will not go back to work until our demands are met,” said Alphonce Otieno.
Our efforts to reach the labour officers who had earlier promised to issue a statement were futile as the declined to address the media.
