This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
Sauti Sol's Bien Aime Criticizes Raila's Health Privileges ¶
On June 26, 2020, Sauti Sol's lead vocalist, Bien Aime, sparked controversy after criticizing former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga's health privileges.
Bien Aime shared a post on social media, highlighting the contrast between the wealthy and the common man. He shared a copy of the front page of Daily Nation's newspaper, which had the story of Raila's health condition on the left corner, while the cover page highlighted ongoing police brutality that has left netizens either crippled or dead.
Bien Aime's post read: 'On the blue corner, the rich man is in Dubai for surgery. On the red corner, mwananchi will have to use local hospitals and morgues when Classism meets police brutality. Whose your money on?'
The post ignited wild reactions among Kenyans, with some agreeing with Bien Aime's harsh reality, while others were irritated by the singer's blunt comment.
Some netizens called out Bien Aime for being a hypocrite who blames politicians for failing to promote local capacity while the singer and his boy band group, Sauti Sol, are busy seeking professional services for their music outside the country.
Others defended Bien Aime, saying that politicians are but private citizens who have been put in power by the very same common mwananchi who later comes in to blame the people they elected when the rule does not favor them.
