COTU Demands Deportation After Chinese Manager Filmed Assaulting Worker

A Kenyan workers’ union has called for the deportation of a Chinese national filmed assaulting an employee at a business premises in Eldoret.

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions, Kenya (COTU-K), condemned the incident, which was captured on video and shared widely online. The footage shows the foreign manager provoking a Kenyan worker and striking him with a sheet of iron while bystanders urge the employee to retaliate. The worker does not respond to the aggression.

In its statement, COTU described the assault as a serious breach of dignity and workers’ rights. The union warned that similar cases involving foreign employers are becoming more frequent. It also cited a separate case in which another Chinese manager allegedly forced Kenyan staff to sing Chinese songs during working hours while imposing long shifts and low pay. 

In that instance, COTU released the manager’s personal details, including his passport and tax registration numbers, to support its complaint. The union urged the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to strengthen inspections and enforcement in companies run by foreign nationals. It said the government must ensure that all workplaces adhere to Kenyan labour standards and that workers are protected from abuse.

The dispute took another turn when a second video appeared showing the assaulted worker shaking hands with his employer and saying he had forgiven him. In the recording, the employee states that he has no issue with his boss and wishes to continue working for him.

The video has raised doubts among many Kenyans, who believe the worker may have been pressured into making the statement. Critics argue that the gesture does not address concerns over intimidation and mistreatment, nor does it reduce the responsibility of authorities to act.

Geoffrey Mosiria, Nairobi County’s Chief Officer for Environment, also commented on the case and urged the public to report similar incidents. He referred to a recent situation in Diani where a Dutch national was filmed harassing a police officer, noting that foreign offenders in Kenya often face more lenient treatment than Kenyans abroad.