COTU demands deportation of Chinese national captured assaulting Kenyan worker

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya) has called for the deportation of a Chinese national captured in a viral video assaulting a Kenyan worker.

In the undated video that has sparked public uproar, the Kenyan worker is seen defending himself as the Chinese national kicked and slapped him.

COTU said that the Chinese national is a manager at TCM Mabati Factory in Eldoret County, and the assaulted worker was working under his supervision.

In a statement addressed to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the Union said that the incident is a gross violation of the rights and dignity of the affected and will not allow the assault of Kenyan workers by foreigners.

It therefore called for an immediate deportation of the Chinese worker and “anything less would be a betrayal of the trust Kenyan workers have placed in your Ministry”.

COTU further urged CS Murkomen, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, to strengthen monitoring, compliance, and enforcement measures relating to enterprises run by foreign nationals.

The assaulted worker has, however, “forgiven” his supervisor after the squabble, saying that they will deal with similar matters in civility.

“I have forgiven him, and I still want to work here. If there is a problem next time we will talk in the office and I will accept my mistake, but I have forgiven him,” the worker said in a video after the incident.

This comes after COTU also raised similar concerns and called for the deportation of another Chinese investor at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), who not only forced Kenyan workers to sing Chinese songs before, during, and after work, but also verbally abused the General Secretary of the Tailors and Textile Workers Union.