Kenyans on Twitter were yesterday left fuming by a job listing that appeared on the Daily Nation.
The advert was seeking 12 sales executives and 2 store keepers for ‘A well established and leading IT retail company’.
Applicants for the sales executive position were required to be of ‘Asian origin’ with no experience needed.
There was no such requirement for the store keeper.
Commenting on the ad, Boniface Mwangi stated that it was against the constitution to hire based on ethnicity or race.
Others called it ‘disgusting’, wondering why Nation published it in the first place.
- nairobiwire.com
More Details
In 2016, a controversial advertisement published in Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper sparked widespread outrage due to its racist undertones.
The ad was placed by Safaricom, one of Kenya’s leading telecommunications companies, and was part of a promotional campaign.
However, the specific ad in question depicted black people in a derogatory or stereotypical manner, which many Kenyans found deeply offensive.
Key Details:
- Date: The ad appeared in the Daily Nation around March 2016.
- Nature of the Ad: While the full visual may not be available now, reports indicated that it portrayed white characters in positions of power or sophistication, while black characters were depicted in inferior or subservient roles, which many viewed as a racist throwback to colonial stereotypes.
- Public Response: The ad led to a social media backlash, with Kenyans on Twitter and Facebook condemning both Daily Nation for publishing the ad and Safaricom (or the associated advertiser) for creating it.
- Apology: Following the backlash, the companies involved were forced to issue a public apology, acknowledging the mistake and vowing to be more sensitive to racial and cultural implications in future marketing efforts.
Broader Context:
This incident was part of a larger conversation in Kenya at the time about representation in media and advertising, especially regarding how local and international brands portray Africans in their campaigns.
Many saw it as a reminder of the need for cultural sensitivity and greater inclusivity in both creative teams and editorial oversight.
