Nairobi — The Kenya Energy Generating Company (KenGen) and contractors at the Sondu Miriu hydro-electric power plant will not be involved in the recruitment of manpower at the start of phase II of the project in March next year.

At a meeting held on Friday, KenGen Public Relations Officer Mike Njeru said they had opted not to participate in the drive, to enable the technical committee to handle the matter transparently without interference from politicians and other interest groups.

"We do not want to be blamed for any anomaly during the recruitment exercise but we will keenly watch the exercise," he said.

The secretary to the technical committee, Dr Raphael Kapiyo, said it had also been agreed that job opportunities would be shared out to the regions in percentages and those to benefit included Nyakach, Kano and Karachuonyo.

During phase 1 of the project, 1,874 people were employed at the site including experts, skilled and semi skilled manpower.

KenGen's managing director Eddy Njoroge challenged leaders to avoid political confrontation and pursuance of personal interests once the second phase commences and urged the committee to uphold a high degree of transparency and accountability during the recruitment exercise.

Project engineer Akira Shiroya said design works were already in progress in Japan and contractors had started mobilising equipment ready to begin work in March.

Also present were Nyakach MP Peter Odoyo and his Karachuonyo counterpart, Dr Adhu Awiti.