Two Hospitalized After a Fight Between Kenyan and Korean Workers at Konza City

Two people were on Saturday hospitalized and several others injured following a fight between Kenyan and Korean workers at a construction site in Konza City, Machakos County.

Confirming the incident after visiting the site, University Education and Research Principal Secretary Simon Nabukwesi said the two were unconscious when they were rushed to the hospital while several others were treated and discharged.

The victims are part of a group working on the Sh16 billion Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) which is being undertaken by Korean company BOMI Consortium.

It is alleged that Kenyan workers hired by BOMI Consortium were attacked by Korean workers on the same project but the cause of the altercation remains unclear.

Nabukwesi says the project’s completion date of September 2023 appears untenable due to some issues that have plagued it, including communication barriers between the Korean workers and their Kenyan counterparts.

He claims that none of the Korean employees can speak English and appear to be unqualified, in breach of the contract that required English proficiency. 

"According to their contract, they were all required to be English speakers, but none of them speak in English making it hard for them to communicate with their Kenyan counterparts," Nabukwesi told reporters.

"Tumeona hata kwamba hawajasoma vizuri na tumewaambia wakubwa wao huko Korea wawaondoea ili waweze kuleta wengine wanaofahamu kazi vizuri.”

He also accused the Korean contractor of failing to subcontract the project to local companies as required by law.

"Hawa wanataka kujifanyia hao wenyewe, hawajatafuta kampuni za Kenya ambazo zinatakiwa kutekeleza asilimia 49 ya mradi kama huu kulingana na mkataba wa kazi.

Lakini wao wamesema wanaajiri wakenya na kuwalipa pesa ambayo wao wameamua," he added.

The PS said detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are probing alleged discrimination, adding that those found guilty will face charges.