A number of 1,400 Chinese workers are to be hired through the Chinese developer Power Construction Corporation (PowerChina), contracted by Amu Power Company, for the construction of Kenyan Lamu’s coal power plant worth $2b, All Africa reported. The plant will generate 1,050MW of power and it is located 21km north of Lamu town in the Kwasasi area, according to Business Daily Africa.
A statement by Amu Power said: “The proposed coal-fired power plant will require about 3,500 workers during the peak construction period.
Of this number, about 60% of the jobs will be taken up by Kenyans, while approximately 40% will be taken up by foreigners, mainly from China.”
The number of Chinese workers in Kenya’s labor market, which is set to increase significantly, reflects the extent to which Kenya’s mega infrastructure projects are dependent on Chinese labor.
Last June, Nairobi-based renewable energy firm, PowerGen, has sought approval from the Kenyan Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to generate, supply, and sell power to more than 100,000 homes in western Kenya using its solar energy micro-grids.
