• Dickson Inganga, 54, died after he slipped and fell into a syrup tank on Sunday.
• “We no longer have faith with the company. They have refused to consider workers safety. We have lost one person and we have others with injuries,” Mutimba said.
Mumias Sugar Company workers held peaceful protests against Sarai Group, the Uganda-based firm, to vacate the state miller following poor working conditions and mismanagement that led to the death of a worker.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Mumias Sugar employees held peaceful demonstrations against Sarrai Group on Monday, demanding that the Ugandan firm vacates the miller.
The employees said poor working conditions and mismanagement at the factory resulted to the death of one worker.
Dickson Inganga, 54, died after he slipped and fell into a syrup tank on Sunday.
He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at St Mary’s Hospital.
The workers claimed the management had failed to install the necessary safety measures at the facility.
They said they have been complaining about the poor working conditions but no one listens to them.
Led by Mumias Sugar Factory Workers Union chairman Patrick Mutimba they said due to lack of the safety measures required by the law, there have been injuries and now a death.
“We no longer have faith with the company. They have refused to consider workers safety. We have lost one person now and we have others with injuries caused by the machines,” Mutimba said.
The employees demand that the administrators of Mumias Sugar Company that is Kenya Commercial Bank Group and the receiver manager PVR Rao, take full responsibility of the loss of life.
Mumias Sugar Factory Workers Union secretary general Vitalis Makokha said they have no faith in the company.
The unions treasurer Henry kibondori said it is unfortunate that the working conditions are not a concern to the company.
“The workers don’t have safety gears. Also, if they were doing maintenance then we could have not lost one of us,” he said adding that justice must be done.
The bereaved family now wants the government to intervene and help them get justice.
The family claims they were informed of the accident after the body was taken to the morgue.
Beatrice Inganga, the widow, questioned why the management failed to inform them about the accident upon occurrence.
Sarrai Group operations manager Stephen Kihumba however claims the family of the deceased was alerted immediately after the accident.
He said they held a meeting with the family and two colleagues of the deceased and explained what happened.
Kihumba said there is nothing fishy they can do to their employees.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)