US ambassador angers Kenyans with tweet on face masks

US ambassador angers Kenyans with tweet on face masks

The US ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter has angered Kenyans online with a tweet highlighting how people in the country were not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.

The ambassador wrote: "Only a fraction of the wananchi [Swahili for citizens] are wearing masks and social distancing. None of us know the magnitude of this Wuhan flu but we must take basic known wise precautions."

Kenyans online questioned the ambassador on whether his country had donated masks to poor Kenyans who can't afford them.

Ambassador McCarter in response said: "You would not be able to test in Kenya if not for USA."

Others asked him how daily wage earners and those living in slums would social distance.

"Social distancing is almost impossible due to the large population especially in informal settlements," Stanley Odhiambo tweeted.

Here is the ambassador's tweet:

Only a fraction of the wananchi are wearing masks & social distancing! None of us know the magnitude of this Wuhan flu but we must take basic known wise precautions. It is only for a short time. We will come back to Prosperity & a
culture of Kenya closeness soon. #USAMarafiki pic.twitter.com/Dy3jyRtEbK

— Ambassador Kyle McCarter (@USAmbKenya) April 19, 2020