This archive report was first published on 2 September 2021.
On September 2, 2021, a Chinese national was manhandled and thrown out of Adlife Plaza in Kilimani, Nairobi, after he refused to wear a face mask.
According to reports, the man was forcefully ejected by more than five guards who dragged him out of the building despite a fellow Chinese national's attempt to intervene.
The incident occurred despite the Ministry of Health's continued advice to Kenyans to follow measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and washing hands.
It is not clear whether the man was arrested or fined for contravening the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 rules and regulations.
Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai had directed police officers in 2020 to arrest and fine individuals found without face masks in public spaces, with a fine of Ksh20,000.
"Being in public without a mask attracts a fine of Sh20,000. However, all officers are to enforce this within the law and no one is allowed to use excessive force while implementing this directive," Mutyambai stated.
This is not the first time a Chinese national has been caught on the wrong side of the law in Kenya. In 2020, a Chinese boss was ordered to pay a Kenyan youth Ksh3.07 million by the Employment and Labour Relations Court after he was found to have whipped a worker with a special cane.
