Nairobi News

NewsWhat's Hot

Rioters storm and loot ‘racist’ Chinese restaurant


Rioting youth on Friday forced their way into the Chinese Restaurant at the center of a racism controversy, damaged property and made away with goods of unknown value.

Kilimani OCPD, Peter Katam said the group of 30 to 40 people with placards went to the restaurant at about 10am and forced their way into the compound.

“They overpowered the security guard and broke into the restaurant. They then took drinks, utensils, electronics and other things” Mr Katam said.

He said the youth also brought out some furniture and burnt them at the gate of the restaurant before the police arrived to disperse them.

ABUSED FREEDOM

“They abused the freedom to demonstrate. We are looking for the leader of the group so we can charge him with malicious damage and theft” Mr Katam said.

The youth had placards that condemned racism and asked the government to deport foreigners who discriminate against Kenyans.

The Director of the restaurant, Zhao Yang was Thursday charged before a criminal court in Nairobi with being in the country illegally and operating a business without a permit.

The Chinese Restaurant on Galana Road in Kilimani that does not admit Africans after 5pm because they ‘pose a security threat’.  PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE
The Chinese Restaurant on Galana Road in Kilimani that does not admit Africans after 5pm because they ‘pose a security threat’. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE

The restaurant hogged the spotlight following media reports it did not accept black people after 5.00pm.

Director of Public Prosecution was allowed by the court on Thursday to detain Ms Zhao Yang for two days after it emerged that she stayed in the country for close to two years without official documentation.

The court ordered Ms Zhao to be detained at the Lang’ata womens’ prison after the DPP objected to her release on bail on grounds that she was a foreigner and had refused to surrender and disclose details of her immigration status.

She denied the charges, which read that “on March 23 at around 11am, along Galana Road in Kilimani, Nairobi, being the manager of the eatery identified as the Chinese Restaurant, jointly with others not before the court, was found operating the restaurant in contravention of a section of the law restricting the operation of a Class B restaurant without a tourism license.”

Ms Zhao has also been charged with being engaged in employment without a work permit.

Ms Zhao is the relations manager at the restaurant. The case will be mentioned on Monday.

Operators of other Chinese Restaurants have expressed concerns over the future of their businesses following the negative publicity.

“The number of customers has gone down and other Kenyans keep asking people who eat here why they are eating bad food. Customers are going away” the Director of the Ginza Restaurant, Mei Hong said.