This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
Ngina Kenyatta, the director of Kenyatta Trust, has come under fire for her speech on youth empowerment at the African Philanthropy Forum on November 16, 2019.
During her speech, Kenyatta highlighted the trust's efforts to empower young Africans through education, citing the example of Moses Etot, a student from Turkana County who is studying petroleum engineering in China under the trust's sponsorship.
However, her words fell flat with many Kenyans, who criticized her for being out of touch with the struggles of the youth. 'The trust's main agenda is to create a new generation of young individuals with a progressive mindset to feel the needs of the ever-changing generation,' she said.
But many took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration with Kenyatta's speech, with some accusing her of being privileged and out of touch with the realities of the youth. 'There is not a single Kenyan youth who believes or has interest in a single word coming from your mouth,' wrote Muthoni Drummer Queen. 'You have zero standing to tell the youth of Kenya anything.'
Others defended Kenyatta, saying that she was trying to make a positive impact and that her efforts should be acknowledged. 'Privileged or not, nobody had a choice to be born in a poor or rich family,' wrote Sabato Fred. 'I applaud Ngina Kenyatta for her efforts in the Kenyatta Trust, she is changing lives in her own capacity.'
