British supermodel Naomi Campbell’s appointment by Kenya Tourism Board as the tourism brand ambassador has continued to elicit reactions.
The negative reaction that greeted Campbells’ appointment prompted Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala to come out and defend the decision.
CS Balala said the board settled on the Briton because influential Kenyans such as Lupita Nyong’o were inaccessible.
For instance, in the case of Lupita Nyong’o whom many Kenyans said could have been the ideal candidate, Balala claimed that they tried to reach her for five years unsuccessfully.
The Kenyan Hollywood actress has now reacted to CS Najib Balala’s allegation.
Lupita shared a photo laughing. The photo had a caption “Me when I hear the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism has been looking for me for fives years.”
Is Balala’s explanation “alternative facts” as Lupita is putting it?
The CS had praised the model saying, “we have a framework to work around her and she accepted to do it for free. She offered herself because of her love and commitment to Kenya.”
This is not the first time the Ministry has chosen an ‘outsider’ to represent Kenya on matters of tourism. In 2017, the Ministry appointed Ugandan artist Edrisa Musuuza, alias ‘Eddy Kenzo’ as the Kenya Tourism Board ambassador, much to the dismay of Kenyans.