City journalists irked by Kalonzo’s slur
City journalists on Thursday took on Cord Principal Kalonzo Musyoka for ignoring a journalist during a press conference on the basis of his name.
Leaders of the Cord coalition were addressing journalists at Serena Hotel on the government’s performance when a QTV journalist asked Kalonzo why the coalition was not giving solutions to what they had termed as Jubilee failures.
Kalonzo, in response, asked: ‘I did not get your name?’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5JLtEBhKtg
Journalist: Kennedy Murithi
Kalonzo: ‘Your name betrays it all, I have nothing more to say’
Journalists from different media houses lashed at Kalonzo for what they considered to be an ethnic slur.
Oliver Mathenge tweeted ‘So Kalonzo has decided to dismiss a journalist’s question at the Cord press conference because his name is Murithi???? SMDH!’
Larry Madowo tweeted ‘My @QTV_Kenya colleague Kennedy Murithi @bamboomuri1 is not only a solid journo, he’s also a political producer for many of my interviews!’
Isha Chidzuga tweeted ‘#SomeoneTellKalonzoMusyoka There is a reason why the phrase No comment exists. Is to save you from yourself. Jikwae dole wala sio ulimi’
Eric Njoka tweeted ‘Shame on you @skmusyoka Big embarrassment to ‘abuse’ a reporter who asked a valid question.so what if he is called Murithi. #CORDpresser’
James Smart tweeted ‘Former VP Kalonzo Musyoka refuses to answer a question from one Murithi saying “your name says it all”
Enock Sikolia tweeted ‘@eriknjoka @skmusyoka @lindahoguttu Leadership in this country is backward. Always punctuated with ethnicity.’
The said journalist tweeted ‘It was unfortunate what VP Kalonzo said’
Some city bloggers were however of a different opinion saying Kenya is an ethnically divided nation.
Robert Alai tweeted ‘We can jump, cry, shout or make noise but whenever a journalist asks a question, his ethnicity plays a role. #EthnicityInKenya’
The debate on the Former Vice President ‘s utterance continued on twitter with the hashtag ‘someonetellKalonzoMusyoka’ trending in Nairobi.