COTU demands deportation of Chinese manager in assault case

Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya) boss Francis Atwoli at a past event. [File, Standard]

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) has condemned the rising cases of abuse of Kenyan workers by foreign employers following a viral video showing a Chinese national assaulting a worker at TCM Mabati Factory in Eldoret.

In a protest letter to the Ministry of Interior, COTU boss Francis Atwoli said the incident that allegedly involved a factory manager amounts to a serious violation of workers’ rights and dignity.

The Secretary General said the union would not tolerate the mistreatment of Kenyan workers by rogue foreign investors.

COTU noted that this is the second such case in a week, referencing a similar complaint involving a Chinese investor at the Export Processing Zone who allegedly forced employees to sing Chinese songs and verbally abused a union leader.

The union is demanding the immediate deportation of the Chinese national filmed assaulting the worker, warning that anything less would undermine workers’ trust in the government.

COTU also urged the Ministries of Interior and Labour to tighten monitoring and enforcement in enterprises run by foreigners.