Dr. Miguna Miguna sparked controversy on March 5, 2019, when he questioned the authenticity of Citizen TV's Youla Nzale, the sign language interpreter during President Uhuru Kenyatta's address at the Devolution Conference in Kirinyaga. The lawyer tweeted: "Is that legitimate 'sign language' the young woman to @UKenyatta's right is using or those are freshly invented despotic gestures intended to mock Kenyans?"
Twitter users responded to Miguna's remarks, with one clarifying that Nzale was using 'Kenyan Sign Language,' which incorporates facial expressions and body movements. Miguna dismissed the claim, stating, "The expression 'Kenyan Sign Language' is not a known language or subject in Kenya." Another user suggested the interpreter was not mocking Kenyans, prompting Miguna to correct their grammar, noting she was "standing" not "sitting" and elaborating on the proper spelling of "soul."
The exchange highlighted tensions around sign language interpretation standards and public figures' critiques of government events. Miguna's combative approach to online debates was evident in the discussion, which featured screenshots of his responses.
