This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
Ngina Kenyatta's Unemployment Advice Sparks Backlash ¶
Ngina Kenyatta, daughter of President Uhuru Kenyatta, faced criticism from Kenyans online after urging youth to venture into new fields to address unemployment.
Speaking at the Africa Philanthropy Conference in Nairobi on November 16, 2019, Ngina Kenyatta emphasized the importance of youth taking charge of their skills to match the economic and development needs of their society.
She cited the example of a student from Turkana who was sponsored for his high school studies and is now studying Petroleum Engineering in China.
Ngina Kenyatta's remarks, however, sparked a conversation online as many Kenyans felt she would not be the best person to speak about unemployment given her family background.
Some Twitter users questioned her understanding of the suffering of ordinary Kenyans, while others felt she was out of touch with the economic realities facing the youth.
Ngina Kenyatta's speech was met with a mix of reactions, with some people praising her for her efforts to address unemployment, while others criticized her for being tone-deaf and out of touch with the struggles of ordinary Kenyans.
