Maasai youth threaten to attack Chinese workers over assault

Maasai youths at Duka Moja trading centre in Narok County have threatened to attack Chinese nationals working on the standard gauge railway, section five, after a local security officer was assaulted by a Chinese.

Despite the Chinese citizen, Kevin Hao, being arrested, the youths claimed Chinese workers are being disrespectful to Kenyan labourers.

According to the Narok police boss Paul Kiogora, the 25-year-old Chinese national in charge of security at the site, assaulted Simon Nzuki - a senior police officer attached to the site.

Mr Kiogora said the man allegedly hit the officer with a blunt object on the chest causing him soft tissue injuries.

The Chinese was on Wednesday charged before Narok Principal Magistrate Titus Gesora with assaulting a police officer.

He denied charges and was released on a Sh50,000 bond with a surety of the same amount.

The case will be mentioned on January 17.

The residents said some of the Chinese workers had been slapping local labourers.

“These people must respect locals, they have been assaulting us yet our culture does not allow a grown up man to be beaten like a child,” Mr Joseph Lemayian, a resident, said.

In August last year, construction was grounded after angry youths attacked and injured 14 Chinese nationals, after saying they were assaulting them.