Chinese firms in Kenya reward local staff

NAIROBI - Mark Okumu has been a chef at China Road and Bridge Corp for the last two decades and his watershed moment arrived in December 2018 when he learned that he was on the list of local employees selected to visit China as a reward for their tireless devotion to duty.

The 42-year-old father of three was in a buoyant mood on a Monday morning in early April when he joined outstanding Kenyan employees working for Chinese companies for a flag-off ceremony before they embarked on the trip to the Chinese mainland. Their itinerary included visits to major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Okumu's towering build made him stand out in the crowd, and excitement was palpable as he braced for a flight to China, where he hoped to learn about the world's second-biggest economy's developing miracle, rich culture and cuisine.