This archive report was first published on 4 July 2019.
The New York Times has faced criticism from Kenyans on social media over a recent job advert for a Nairobi bureau chief, which some claim portrays Eastern Africa in a negative light.
Published on July 3, 2019, the job description read: 'Our Nairobi bureau chief has a tremendous opportunity to dive into news and enterprise across a wide range of countries, from the deserts of Sudan and the pirate seas of the Horn of Africa, down through the forests of Congo and the shores of Tanzania.'
It added: 'It is an enormous patch of vibrant, intense and strategically important territory with many vital story lines, including terrorism, the scramble for resources, the global contest with China and the constant push-and-pull of democracy versus authoritarianism.'
However, many Kenyans took to Twitter to express their disappointment with the job advert, with some accusing the New York Times of seeking only negative stories from the region.
Others questioned why the job advert did not mention the positive stories that could be told from the region, such as innovation and the impact of mobile money services.
Even BBC Africa Business Editor Larry Madowo weighed in, sarcastically sharing the job advert and saying 'I live for the white gaze.'
Some critics also pointed out that the New York Times had previously been criticized by Kenyans for publishing photos of the dead during the January Dusit terror attack, and that the author of the story, Kimiko de Freytas, was poised to become the NYT East African bureau chief prior to the coverage.
