Cotu to Murkomen: Deport Chinese man who assaulted Kenyan worker

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Vice President and COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli has demanded for immediate deportation of a Chinese national captured on video assaulting a Kenyan worker.

In a letter addressed to Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Atwoli said Cotu is concerned by the prevalent cases of abuse of Kenyan workers by foreign investors.

“We have taken note of a disturbing viral video circulating on social media in which a Chinese national, allegedly a manager at TCM Mabati Factory in Eldoret, is clearly seen assaulting a Kenyan worker under his supervision,” said Atwoli in statement released on yesterday.

“Cotu (K) therefore demands the immediate deportation of the Chinese national captured on video assaulting a Kenyan worker at TCM Mabati Factory. Anything less would be a betrayal of the trust Kenyan workers have placed in your ministry and the government at large,” Atwoli told Murkomen.

He added that the assault is a gross violation and dignity of workers’ rights by foreign investors.

“We are appalled by this incident, which is a gross violation of the rights and dignity of the affected and, as the voice and defender of Kenyan workers, we will not stand by and watch the dignity of Kenyan workers violated by some rogue Chinese employers operating within our borders,” Atwoli said.

In the undated video circulating on the social media, the Chinese national is seen kicking a man in an overall before hitting him with a piece of iron sheet.

In another video that emerged later, the worker and the Chinese national seemingly reconciled with the worker stating that he had forgiven the Chinese supervisor.

“I have forgiven him and I don’t have a problem with him… I still want to work here...If there is any problem in future, if there is an issue, he can just summon me to the office and if I’ll be on the wrong, I will accept my mistake,” the worker reportedly said in another video.

Atwoli protested that there has been a trend of Chinese investors assaulting and degrading Kenyan workers in the country.

He cited a case reported last week where a Chinese national at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) forced Kenyan worker to sing Chinese songs before, during and after work and hurled verbal insults at the general secretary of the Tailors and Textile Workers Union.

In that case too, Cotu demanded for immediate deportation of the foreign national, citing violations of workers’ rights. 

Cotu further urged Murkomen and his Labour and Social Protection counterpart Alfred Mutua to strengthen monitoring, compliance, and enforcement measures relating to enterprises run by foreign nationals.