Ugandan Afropop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine has partnered with Atlanta Black Star CEO Neil Nelson to airlift Africans affected and mistreated due to COVID-19 out of China.
Through a joint statement, the duo pledged to airlift the affected people to an African country that was willing to receive them.
Further through the statement, they appealed to the Chinese government and other African leaders globally to take urgent action regarding the reports of inhumane treatment and racism witnessed in China.
“The two leaders are currently working together to facilitate a humanitarian mission to airlift those Africans and African-Americans who are affected by these attacks to a country in Africa that is willing to receive them. We are also prepared to evacuate them to the United States for those holding U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status,” read the released statement in part.
Read: Netizens Angered After Kenyans Are Blamed For COVID-19, Evicted From Houses In China
Together with my friend Neil Nelson, CEO @ATLBlackStar, we are offering to airlift Africans & African-Americans being subjected to inhumane treatment in parts of China. Only if we get an African nation and/or the US willing to receive them! #soos #savingourownsouls pic.twitter.com/HFHEf4p8wa
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) April 13, 2020
This follows harrowing reports that indicated Kenyans and other Africans in China were being evicted from their houses and forced to live on the streets.
Apparently, Africans were accused of having Coronavirus and spreading it after the mainland reported 63 new cases of COVID-19, with 61 said to have been imported.
On April 10, 2020, social media went into a frenzy for the better part of the day, with netizens from different African Countries calling out the Chinese government for allowing racism and discrimination of Africans.
Read Also: Chinese Ambassador In Nairobi Blames Africans For Their Mistreatment In China
Questions lingered over why the Chinese were accusing Africans of spreading the virus yet it originated from their country. Some went as far as calling the various state governments to flood the Chinese nationals out of their countries out of anger.
Standing in solidarity with the mistreated Africans, a hashtag dubbed #chineseMustExplain was activated composing of different people from the African states asking the Chinese to explain the origin of the virus.
I thought Moses Kuria had again attacked Luos only to find that he's oozing wisdom. We are not a colony of China. Uhuru must kick out these small eyed fellows NOW. Recall Sarah Serem from China, airlift our people. We are tired of Xenophobia and RACISM. #ChinaMustExplain pic.twitter.com/8YnjSZLD5w
— Abuga Makori EGH, MBE (@abuga_makori) April 10, 2020
In response to the public uproar, the Chinese ambassador in Kenya, Wu Peng blamed evicted Africans for the mistreatment leveled against them.
Wu Peng indicated that those affected had violated the social distancing directive.
“People who found themselves in trouble did not follow regulations on social distancing. Most reported are not Kenyans,” read the tweet by the Chinese ambassador.
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