On 6th July 2021, revellers danced together at the July Nairobi Party at Alchemist in Westlands, Nairobi. However, the bar's reputation took a hit after racism and discrimination allegations surfaced.
Alchemist bar in Westlands, Nairobi, has been shut down following allegations of racism and discrimination. The Nairobi County Government will investigate the incident and review past events to determine the truth.
On May 20, some guests claimed they were denied entry, which Alchemist refuted. The County Government will review the incident, interview the guests, and examine video footage to determine what happened that evening.
Alchemist management has acknowledged the need for change, stating, "The last few days have shown us that we have much work to do to hire a new security team and develop new systems and processes to ensure that every single person feels welcome."
The bar has been under scrutiny by Kenyans on Twitter over the last few days following a viral video by a tweep identified as Murgor, who accused Alchemist of racism. The video showed a black man being turned away from a queue with white customers, presumably at the club's entrance.
Alchemist denied the claims, saying they were not prejudiced and that everyone was let into the establishment. However, this is not the first time racism allegations have rocked the establishment. In 2018, a reveller publicly accused the bar of not letting her sit in a specific area as it was "only meant for white people."
