The owner of a mine at Kasighau in Voi constituency has been condemned by Taita leaders for searching gemstones in her employees’ private parts.
Lilian Mercy Mutua said she does that because employees steal from her.Led by county MP Joyce Lay, the leaders said she is infringing on the employees’ right to privacy.
The workers also said Mutua has a pistol and has not paid them for the last one month.”I resigned from the job because the woman does not pay us promptly. Every evening she searches men and women at the mine in their private parts for hidden gemstones,” said Getrude Zighe who used to work at the mine.
Other workers who were extracting yellow tourmaline in the mine have also resigned.”It’s so sad that the woman does not respect people. We used to work in inhuman conditions because we are poor and have to fend for our families.
We were not even provided with protective clothing while working at the dusty environment. Being searched in private parts before men was the most grueling experience we underwent,” she told the Star.
Zighe said she feared the body search may result to workers getting Sexually Transmitted Infections.
