New York Times: Kenyans Say Chinese Investment Brings Racism

A 26-year-old Kenyan working for a Chinese motorcycle company in Ruiru recorded a viral video of his Chinese manager airing frustration after a business deal had gone awry, comparing Kenyans to monkies. After the video drew widespread condemnation, Liu was deported back to China. Such incidents are not a rare occurrence. “Today, many younger Kenyans say that racism is a phenomenon they largely know indirectly, through history lessons and foreign news,” explains Joseph Goldstein for the New York Times. “But episodes involving discriminatory behavior by the region’s growing Chinese work force have unsettled many Kenyans, particularly at a time when their government seeks closer ties with China.” There are numerous reports of racist verbal abuses directed toward Kenyan workers as well as more severe instances that local media characterized as “neocolonialism.” As it is unlikely that the Chinese and Kenyan governments would slow their economic partnership, both peoples face a reckoning: Kenyans search for ways to defend themselves with racist colleagues, and Chinese investors must strive for true partnerships to ensure moral authority. – YaleGlobal

New York Times: Kenyans Say Chinese Investment Brings Racism

A case of neocolonialism? Kenyans speak out against racist treatments from their Chinese coworkers as the two countries deepen economic partnership
Joseph Goldstein
Monday, October 22, 2018

Read the article from The New York Times about reports of racism in Kenya.

© 2018 The New York Times Company