The Alchemist Bar, a popular Nairobi club, has announced that it will close for a few days to allow for an investigation following the viral video of discrimination where a black man was turned away from a queue that included white and Asian people.
Tweeters reacted to the video on Monday, calling for an end to alleged racism and discrimination. However, the club denied any discrimination against black people.
The Alchemist Bar said in a statement on Tuesday that it had consulted with the Nairobi county government and would “close its doors while a thorough investigation is conducted over the next few days.”
The club stated that it would investigate events on the night of May 20 to determine whether the black man in question was denied entry and whether separate lines for guests were part of the club’s policy.
It also wants to determine whether there was any discrimination on the premises by reviewing interviews and video footage from previous events.
According to the statement, the Nairobi county government will decide the next steps based on the findings of the investigation.
The club stated that it would hire a new security team and implement systems to ensure that everyone is welcome.
Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) and former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko both expressed outrage over the incident, with the flamboyant politician calling for the club to be closed down.
