Authorities in Tanzania are attempting to clarify the issue of the hotel run by China nationals in Dar-es-salaam which is being accused of segregating people racially.
The country’s immigration department, through an official statement which was this time posted on their Twitter (X) account, says it has already investigated the issue of the alleged Chinese racist hotel said to be restricting local Tanzanians as well as other Africans, from accessing its services.
According to the spokesperson of the Immigration Department, Paul J. Msele, the said Chinese hotel property known as Guang Dong was not as ’racist’ as some people have been insinuating.
However, recent video clips circulating on social media platforms have been showing people being prevented from entering gates of the Guang Dong Hotel in Dar-es-salaam.
“Ignore the videos and other reports regarding the hotel, because Giang Dong is open to all people of various races and backgrounds,” the Immigration Department claims.
But judging by the response of Tanzanians on the immigration department page, they are not satisfied with the explanation.
In fact, some people commenting below the statement have even gone to the extent of claiming that the Tanzania immigration department officials have been compromised by the hotel owners.
The property, which until now was being regarded as strictly for Chinese people, operates under a registered firm listed as Yihui Layout Tanzania Company Limited
Guang Dong Hotel runs its business on Plot Number 81. Along Burundi Street in the Kinondoni District of Dar-Es-salaam region and recently it was accused of throwing out local Tanzanians who tried to gain admission at the property.
For the last four weeks, video clips have been making the rounds showing a number of Tanzanians being refused entry to enter the Guang Dong Hotel.
In fact one of the clips, feature two or three people in a car being refused entry by a lady believed to be an employee of the hotel who told the occupants in the vehicle that the management reserved the right of admission and this did not include coloured or black persons.
On the other hand, some observers have been wondering why Tanzanians should insist on being admitted at Chinese Hotels or Restaurants.
“Most Tanzanians and Africans cannot even touch, let alone eat the type of the food that the Chinese people consume,” said a Dar-es-salaam resident, Lucas Savo adding that those who complain simply want to create drama.