The committee on Tuesday visited Krystalline Salt Company to inspect the work condition and interrogated the firm’s top management, workers and Kenya Manufacturers Association (KMA) representatives concerning the allegation.
This comes barely two months after local leaders led by area MP Michael Kingi and his Kilifi North counterpart Owen Baya dismissed the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) audit report on salt harvesting saying “it does not represent the reality on the ground.”
The two legislators who were backed by Adu ward Representative Stanley Karisa and his Gongoni counterpart Albert Kiraga said they will challenge the report which is ‘based on falsity’ at the national assembly.
The parliamentary committee on labour and social welfare has begun investigating allegations of poor working condition, payments and harassment at the six salt firms in Magarini, Kilifi County.
The committee on Tuesday visited Krystalline Salt Company to inspect the work condition and interrogated the firm’s top management, workers and Kenya Manufacturers Association (KMA) representatives concerning the allegation.
This comes barely two months after local leaders led by area MP Michael Kingi and his Kilifi North counterpart Owen Baya dismissed the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) audit report on salt harvesting saying “it does not represent the reality on the ground.”
The two legislators who were backed by Adu ward Representative Stanley Karisa and his Gongoni counterpart Albert Kiraga said they will challenge the report which is ‘based on falsity’ at the national assembly.
Speaking to the press after the inspection and interrogation, Bura MP Ali Wario who is also the committee chairman said they have established that the company has not fully observed on employees safety precautions including employing people with disability.
“Although the work condition is not a bad state, most workers have not been provided with gloves at work to enable them handle the corrosive substance during packaging and loading,” he said.
The legislator, whom earlier together with nominated MP David Ole Sonkok had toured the firms’ processing plant and even assisted workers to pack salt said it was not fair for a person to pack 420 packs without gloves in a day.
At some point, the committee which was working on tip off and reports had to summon the company’s top security boss for grilling to establish if he was truly a Kenyan or a foreigner.
“No foreigner is to be brought here and do a job that a Kenyan can do such as drivers and security officers since they do not know the geography of the area to enable them work effectively than Kenyans,” he said.
On their part, Krystalline chief sustainability officer Hasmita Patel said the company is working hard to improve the work condition of workers and improve their safety by providing gloves.
"I am a Kenyan of India descent but I am unable to trace my descendants back in India since we have stayed here for two generations," she said adding "we have never employed any Indian or foreigners at the expense of locals," she added.
The KNCHR audit report focused on Krystalline Salt, Kensalt, Malindi salt and Kurawa Industries with an exception of KEMU salt packers which was under receivership by the time the report was made.
The report also recommends the National Land Commission (NLC), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to address issues of land possession and pollution of water catchment areas.
In its report, the KNCHR had also recommended that workers employed at the firms to be supplied with safety garments and gloves to avoid health related issues and accidents.
Last month during Krystalline Salt Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity at Marereni where they donated a dispensary to the community, Kilifi health executive Anisa Omar lashed out other salt firms for doing little to improve the live hood of residents.
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