Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli has criticised Kenyans who recorded a video of a Chinese man caning a Kenyan for reporting to work late.
The video of one of the suspects, believed to be Deng Heilan, whipping a waiter at Chez Wou Restaurant in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, went viral on Saturday. The other suspects were Ou Giang, Yu Ling, Chang Yueping.
Atwoli said the men recording the video should have retaliated, instead of recording as their compatriot was being humiliated.
"Don't just watch and record when somebody is being beaten by a foreigner. You must come together and fight that foreigner. Beat him thoroughly... nowadays even murderers are given bonds, fight that person," Atwoli said.
He added that the Central Organisation of Trade Unions will provide a lawyer for anyone who will be arraigned for beating a foreigner caught assaulting a worker.
On Thursday, Interior CS Fred Matiang'i ordered the deportation of the four Chinese accused of the offence. This came hours after a court directed that the four be detained for 15 days pending a police probe. The prosecution had sought to have the suspects held in custody for 21 days.
Atwoli hailed Matiang'i and security officers for their intervention. He said the Chinese' action amounted to slavery — an unacceptable practice in a sovereign country.
"You cannot use our desperation as far as the provision of employment is concerned to indirectly make us slaves... to pay us peanuts," the unionist said.
He said some foreigners behave well in their countries but assault and enslave people in other countries.
Chinese Ambassador Wu Peng also condemned the attack, urging all their citizens to abide by the Kenyan laws.
