This archive report was first published on 21 October 2019.
On Mashujaa Day, Kenyans marked the occasion with a heated debate over the 2017 Head of State's Commendation (HSC) awards given to former Citizen TV journalist Jackie Maribe and blogger Dennis Itumbi.
Maribe and Itumbi were among notable figures who received the award from President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017, alongside bloggers Robert Alai and Pauline Njoroge.
Itumbi attempted to justify his award in a local station appearance, stating that his efforts to connect Nakuru to free Wi-Fi and introduce a digital infrastructure for the government were the reasons behind the honour.
However, blogger Alai dismissed the award, saying that it was given to 'abusive bloggers and slay queens.'
Maribe responded to the criticism, stating that most people who opposed their awards didn't have information on how selection for the awards is done.
She noted that the selection process is not well understood by the public, and that people should research how these awards are given.
Maribe's Instagram post read, 'Riswa! Tunaelewa! Mungu mbele. Well done sweetie Dennis Itumbi I am, Jacque Maribe HSC.'
