Meg Whitman, the US ambassador to Kenya, responded after she was made fun of online by Kenyans for a picture she took at Mombasa’s famous elephant tusks.
A group of Kenyans ridiculed the ambassador while questioning the timing of the picture and pointing out that the ambassador’s escort cars had obstructed regular traffic.
The envoy, however, decided to laugh at herself and her own picture, which she said was ambiguous, in response to the trolls.
“OK, I hear you. My original photo wasn’t the greatest. Show me your best photos from Mombasa’s iconic tusks,” the envoy remarked in a statement.
The different sections of Kenyans who trolled the ambassador had critiqued her photo for various reasons including claiming that it was poorly taken.
“Blocking a busy road to momentarily pose for a photo, inconveniencing other motorists,” one social media user quipped.
Meg Whitman who is on a working tour of the Mombasa region took the photo on November 20 and expressed her excitement at finally coming up close to the elephant tusks.
“I am on Site, County 001. Had to make a stop on my working tour to see the iconic elephant tusks in Mombasa,” Whitman stated at the time.
Nipo site County 001. Had to make a stop on my working tour to see the iconic elephant tusks in #Mombasa. pic.twitter.com/dCI3Ktuz4Q
— U.S. Ambassador Meg Whitman (@USAmbKenya) November 20, 2023
The US Ambassador has in the recent past been subjected to sharp criticism over various issues.
Most notably, Meg was on the receiving end of a scathing verbal attack from opposition leader Raila Odinga over what he termed as meddling in Kenyan affairs.
“Tell the rogue ambassador Kenya is not the United States. Kenya is not a colony of the United States,” Raila stated in response to the diplomat’s remarks made during the Devolution Conference where she claimed that Kenya’s 2022 presidential election was the most transparent in the continent.
Whitman has however since taken stock of her own comments and conceded that the remarks were ill-advised.
“I was surprised as I did not think what I said was pretty controversial. Then I understood that many people at that conference thought it was controversial,” she stated during an interview on November 11.
