A Chinese restaurant in the Kenyan capital
Nairobi has been shut down and its owners summoned by authorities after
it emerged it was barring black patrons, reports said Wednesday.
Nairobi has been shut down and its owners summoned by authorities after
it emerged it was barring black patrons, reports said Wednesday.
The restaurant became the focus of city
authorities after furious residents took to social media to denounce an
apparently racist policy of not allowing African patrons to eat there
after 5pm — pushing #RacistRestaurant, #NoBlacksHere and
#TheChineseInvasion to be top trending topics.
authorities after furious residents took to social media to denounce an
apparently racist policy of not allowing African patrons to eat there
after 5pm — pushing #RacistRestaurant, #NoBlacksHere and
#TheChineseInvasion to be top trending topics.
The owners of the restaurant said the measure
had been put in place following a robbery in 2013, and have apologised
for causing any offence.
had been put in place following a robbery in 2013, and have apologised
for causing any offence.
But it said the Chongquing Chinese restaurant,
situated in Nairobi’s bustling commercial and residential district of
Kilimani, had been shut down anyway for not having the proper licences.
situated in Nairobi’s bustling commercial and residential district of
Kilimani, had been shut down anyway for not having the proper licences.
“We have established that the restaurant did not
have the licences and I have ordered it closed until the management
complies,” Nairobi governor Evans Kidero said in a statement.
have the licences and I have ordered it closed until the management
complies,” Nairobi governor Evans Kidero said in a statement.
“The owners of the restaurant have no change of
user from residential to commercial which is a requirement to operate a
business in Nairobi,” he said, adding the restaurant did not have a
valid liquor licence and had failed to comply public health requirements
on food handling.
user from residential to commercial which is a requirement to operate a
business in Nairobi,” he said, adding the restaurant did not have a
valid liquor licence and had failed to comply public health requirements
on food handling.
“As of now the restaurant will remain closed
until they comply with all set rules and regulations. We have deployed
security officers around the premises.”
until they comply with all set rules and regulations. We have deployed
security officers around the premises.”
The governor also asserted that “all business
and service providers must ensure that all customers and clients are
treated with respect and dignity, irrespective of race, colour, sex,
tribe and religion,” the Standard newspaper quoted him as saying.
and service providers must ensure that all customers and clients are
treated with respect and dignity, irrespective of race, colour, sex,
tribe and religion,” the Standard newspaper quoted him as saying.
Reports said the restaurant’s Chinese owners
and managers had also been summoned by Kenya’s immigration authorities,
while one Kenyan MP has also asked the Parliamentary Committee on
Security to carry out its own investigation.
and managers had also been summoned by Kenya’s immigration authorities,
while one Kenyan MP has also asked the Parliamentary Committee on
Security to carry out its own investigation.
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