George Magoha, the cabinet secretary for education, has come under fire for racial profiling a female journalist.
Media professionals had traveled to Nairobi to cover Magoha’s event, where he lay the cornerstone for the junior classrooms that would house the second phase of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) at Pumwani Girls and Pumwani Boys Secondary Schools.
A young Muslim NTV reporter who is known for herbrasive handling asked Magoha a question during the July 13 program.
The CS demanded to know her origins but instead of responding, angrily insulted the woman.
“I come from Nairobi,” the lady answered.
“Where in Nairobi? How do I know I am not talking to al-Shabaab?” Magoha responded.
Politics aside, why would a whole highly educated Cabinet Secretary profile a young professional lady as being Al-shabaab just because she was wearing a hijab?
George Magoha has not even issued an apology, nor have the Nation Media Group she works for issued a public complain. pic.twitter.com/SWxHofdcTs— KIPRONO (@Onorpik) July 26, 2022
The CS didn’t promise to respond to the woman’s question until she identified herself as representing NTV.
Magoha’s comments sparked irate responses on social media.
Here are some of the reactions from Kenyans on social media:
Ahmed Mohamed: “CS Magoha should be ashamed of himself. This is typical profiling. Because the young woman was in a hijab, you retort to such a repugnant outburst? NTV should be demanding an apology from this octogenarian who is out of touch.”
Zulekha Hassan: “This is horrendous! No wonder the Ministry of Education is unable to effectively implement religious tolerance in public schools. So many schools in our Country are robbing our Muslim children.”
Education CS Prof George Magoha engaging in ethnic profiling of a local woman journalist, humiliating her as govt officers laugh like hyenas! @ntvkenya ,as an entity, should demand for an apology and file a case on behalf of their journalist.pic.twitter.com/qz1TaujZhc
— Abdiweli Duale (@AbdiweliDuale1) July 26, 2022
Mohamud Salat Mohamed: “Total shame and Uhuru must rightaway relieve him and relevant authorities to take action.”
African Princess: “Al Shabaab doesn’t have a certain look nani the group has people from all nationalities and ethnicities and not every somali person pledges allegiance to them nor supports them.”
Yussuf Haji: “I have said it before and I repeat again, Somalis need to bring to national conversation the issue of Somali-phobia among the majority of Kenyans. Unless the attacks and ethnic profiling of Kenya’s Somalis is confronted with resolve n courage, there won’t be any unity in this country.”
