Award-winning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o on Friday, January 22 came under a heavy attack from a section of Kenyans on Twitter after she responded to Tourism CS Najib Balala’s claims that she has been inaccessible for the past five years.
Balala had responded to criticism from Kenyans that the ministry had ignored Kenyan celebrities by choosing foreigners as its ambassadors.
This was after Balala announced international model Naomi Campbell as the Magical Kenya ambassador.
The Hollywood actress went on to respond hours after Najib defended the ministry’s decision to pick British supermodel Naomi Campbell as the tourism ambassador.
“I know everybody is asking why not Lupita. Lupita has commitments and her managers cannot allow us to access her. We’ve spent the last five years looking for Lupita,” Balala said.
The CS Thursday faulted people who have castigated the ministry for failing to appoint a Kenyan to the post, saying they make appointments while targeting specific markets.
According to him, Campbell offered her services to Kenya for free.
“We have a framework to work around her and she accepted to do it for free. She offered herself because of her love and commitment to Kenya. We are now working on the details on how do we use her to promote the destination,” Balala said.
On Twitter, Lupita hash-tagged her response to the Ministry of Tourism saying she was available, #Imrightherebaby #alternativefacts accompanied with a picture of her laughing ironically.
“Me when I hear the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism has been looking for me for fives years,” she captioned her tweet.
Her comment attracted mixed reactions from all over the world. Here are a few;
Perhaps Lupita was not keen on taking the job? Also, saying Balala should have called her dad makes me wonder…is she 12? She’s a grown woman, well able to decide what calls to take.
Pia…if she’d taken this job there’d still have been things to say to discredit her, no?
— Kambua (@Kambua) January 22, 2021
Lupita has answered Tunajibu. If you’re going to pick a fight with the People of Seme, first ask Jo Gem what they saw in Kambare in 1906.
— Gabriel Oguda (@gabrieloguda) January 22, 2021
If you truly are proud of your Kenyan roots then no one will have to look for you. Everything would happen naturally. You’ve shown no appreciation for your Kenyan fans either. Continue sneaking in to the country which you’ve hardly visited since blowing up.
— Kiigen K. Koech (@KiigenKoech) January 22, 2021
Apparently, it’s easier to acces Trump than to access you!
— Tony Olaka (@TonyOlaka) January 22, 2021
This Lupita story is one more reason why I’d never defend anything the govt says.
— Agent Aminu. (@NI_Mensah) January 22, 2021
We don’t need you now, we got Naomi 😂
— Kargo 🇰🇪🇰🇪 (@DK_Kago) January 22, 2021
Its worth the laugh…pick up the phone and call Kisumu county CEO…hey we want your daughter here tomorrow, and it’s done
— Myles Castrol junior (@MylesNjagiN) January 22, 2021
Kusema ukweli, since winning the Oscar, there is a perception of aloofness from many Kenyans. Not to mention the stories of your security team roughing up ordinary locals. This has left many of your fans disappointed.
