The Kenyan government says it will investigate allegations that local staff working for a Chinese-run railway line have been subjected to racist abuse.

On Sunday, the Standard newspaper reported on conversations with employees of the China Road and Bridge Corporation. The company built and now and operates the line between Nairobi and Mombasa and the newspaper was investigating reported complaints of racial discrimination and harassment by the Chinese staff.

In response a government spokesman, Eric Kiraithe, said the running of a railway required military standard discipline and suggested some Kenyan staff had a poor work ethic - a comment that has angered many Kenyans.

He also defended the financing of the railway and criticised the newspaper for showing photos of carcases of lion and buffalo that had been killed by the train, saying many more animals died on Kenya's roads.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said during the launch last year that the $3.2bn (£2.5bn) Chinese-funded line signalled a new chapter in the country.