Chinese billboard on Mombasa Road vandalised after uproar
A Chinese-written billboard erected along Mombasa Road has been vandalised after public outcry.
The billboard, entirely written in Chinese, belonged to a Chinese company that was advertising its services to fellow Chinese.
Kenyans online lashed at the advertising agency that allowed the company to publish an entire billboard in a foreign language, demanding that an English translation be included as well.
Some however defended the billboard, arguing that since it was targeting the Chinese – and considering it was not insulting or inciting – there was no harm.
By Tuesday morning, the billboard seemed to have been vandalised with a part of it hanging loose.
This is a billboard in Kenya done completely in Chinese. My only question is, will you be allowed to erect a Swahili billboard in the middle of Beijing? Chinese are taking us for a ride. They must be rudely roaming around Nairobi while inwardly thinking we are idiots pic.twitter.com/HcdaxRps5v
— Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) May 1, 2018
The fear of the otherness and languages we do not understand make us prone to stereotype. I don't see nothing wrong with a billboard in Mandarin as long as its meaning is decent and non violent. #SayNoToRacism .Why should you assume the Chinese are just here to reap us off?
— Ahmed. Tawakal (@atawakal) May 1, 2018
Nothing wrong with this as long it is paid for and message reaches intended recipient without insult or incitement.
— Charles Kimuyu (@CharlesKimuyu5) May 1, 2018
Its in the full glare and authority of ur Govt. They could even be insulting u for all I care. Regarding doing it in Beijing….u wouldn’t simply because u hav not generated adequate economic muscle to influence nothing. Ur living in eutopia and denial
— Jacob Jatelo (@ChangeJatelo) May 1, 2018
Nobody should be scared of a business owner who is about his/her business. What if this was just a Kenyan targeting Chinese market ?
— Okora Desterious (@ODesterious) May 1, 2018