Chinese manager fired after assault on Kenyan worker

Entrance of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya. [File, Standard]

A Chinese national filmed assaulting a Kenyan worker at a mabati factory has been dismissed, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya has confirmed.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Chinese Embassy condemned the attack, saying it had been informed that the company had immediately terminated the Chinese worker’s contract and was considering further disciplinary measures.

The Embassy urged all its nationals in Kenya to respect local laws, customs and uphold mutual respect with Kenyan friends.

The viral undated video, widely shared on social media, shows the man striking a Kenyan employee with roofing sheets inside what appears to be a warehouse.

The incident is reported to have occurred at TCM Mabati Factory in Uasin Gishu County, where the assailant served as a manager.

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) on Sunday strongly criticised the incident and called for the deportation of the Chinese manager.

In a letter to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli termed the assault a blatant violation of the workers’ rights and dignity.

Atwoli demanded immediate action, saying anything short of deportation would undermine the confidence Kenyan workers have in the Ministry of Interior.