
The case of blue-collar Chinese migrants that Kenya is calling “cyber-hackers” - ocjo
http://qz.com/530427/a-new-wave-chinese-immigrants-seeking-opportunity-in-africa-are-finding-misery-and-struggle-instead/
======
lgleason
I'm not sure about what the situation in Kenya is, but what I can speak to is
what I've seen in Botswana and Costa Rica. In essence the Chinese will come in
to invest in something or give a gift of something like a road, mine, stadium
etc.. On the surface that sounds great for the local economy.

The problem is that there is a catch, it's not. Why? Because they bring their
own materials, food and labor with them in essence adding nothing to the local
economy. So, rightfully some have begun to question their presence because in
many instances it is about extracting resources while giving little, if
anything back to the local economy.

I'm sure the workers are unfortunate pawns in this game, but while there is
racism where-ever there are people, to me it sounds like this issue goes much
deeper than that.

~~~
netheril96
> something like a road, mine, stadium etc..

> while giving little, if anything back to the local economy

Aren't these two lines contradictory?

~~~
lgleason
On the surface yes, in reality no. The only reason the road is built is to get
the goods out of the mines. They extract the resources, leave and then there
is no money to fund maintenance. Once again with no local jobs being created.

------
devereaux
Could it be just racism and hatred of immigrants as usual?

They live in military style dorm because they can't afford any better. They
are a visible minority, and there's no reason while Keynyans shouldn't be more
racist than say Europeans.

~~~
michaelmwangi
I'm a Kenyan, Runda is one of the high end estates in the country. They never
lived in a 'military style dorm'. I think there is more to the story than what
the article says.

------
guard-of-terra
So, they were placed in this Kenyan house to do what exactly?

Article takes a long time to tell a story, then it jumps over this crucial
question, and then it continues its ramblings. More details are desperately
needed.

Who hired them? To do what? What they really did? Were they actually paid?
What exactly are they charged for? What do their compatriots think they did?

~~~
jlg23
> To do what?

"Luo arrived in September, expecting to be assigned work as a driver."

> What they really did?

“We weren’t doing anything. After we got here, all we did was sleep and eat.
We never saw the boss,”

> What exactly are they charged for?

"Local media have reported that the group was running a command center for
hacking, money laundering, and eventually attacking Kenya’s financial and
communications system." The article at Standard Digital News which is linked
from that article says "The group, operating in military style dormitories,
are believed to have been conducting high-tech espionage and internet fraud,
police said."

> More details are desperately needed.

I don't think the author wanted to write about cyber crime per se, the case is
just a starting point to tell about the situation in general.

~~~
richard_mcp
It's weird that he arrived in September and seems to have done nothing but sit
around until December when he was arrested. Why would someone import 70-some
workers and then have them do nothing for months?

~~~
philsalesses
Because they're cheap and management is inefficient?

------
mtw
wrong people at the wrong place; it seems they were unlucky and ignorant in
choosing this deal

