Chinese road builders arrested in Lodwar for assaulting inspector

Four Chinese road construction workers have been arrested in Lodwar for assaulting a government inspection engineer.

The four are employees of the China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Co. Ltd, which is upgrading of Loichangamatak - Lodwar section on the A1 road.

According to locals, the four men assaulted Rodgers Imasia, a road inspector from the Kenya National Highway Authority, after the engineer criticised their work last Friday.

Mr Simon Kono, an eyewitness, said that while on duty he saw the four Chinese men physically attack Mr Imasia.

Mr Kono said that the men decided to beat the engineer themselves after he (Mr Kono) declined find locals in Kilometre 54 area to do the job.

"They showed me the picture of the engineer and I said I know him and I cannot do that. They then found a group of people and told me to translate to them the mission, which was to beat the engineer but they also refused. And that is how they decided to attack the engineer on their own," Mr Kono said.

Their arrest attracted public attention with residents seeking to establish if they would be treated like other suspects and taken to the police cell.

Turkana Central OCPD David Mburukwa confirmed that the four were arrested on Tuesday morning but promised to address journalists later.

On Monday, more than 400 locals workers held a protest at their site in Kanam Kemer in Turkana Central Sub-County demanding that the police move with speed and arrest the suspects.

Mr Wilberforce Dida claimed unfair practices in how the Chinese and local workers were being treated in their quest for justice, pointing out that Chinese were enjoying certain privileges.

He added that it was the first time a Chinese suspect has been arrested and held at a Lodwar cell despite several complaints.