Ugly cat fight as Kenyan mothers fight online over baby competition
A baby competition has turned into an ugly cyber war after shameless mothers hurled insults at the toddlers of other women in a bid to secure the chances of their own children winning it.
The women have taken their rivalry to social media platforms, where they cyber-bully perceived rivals nominated in the Cussons Baby Moments competition.
The competition was launched early this year to celebrate motherhood.
Interested mothers were asked to upload pictures of their toddlers on the company’s website. A group of judges sifted through the pictures and reduced the entries to top a hundred nominees.
Members of the public were subsequently invited to vote for the best picture.
The competition has already undergone two selections and nominees reduced to the last 20.
The winner is expected to walk away with Sh500, 000 total cash prize and a year supply of the company’s products, among other gift items.
In a bid to mobilise votes for their toddlers, mothers have bared their claws and engaged in dirty tricks to discredit their rivals.
Insults and innuendos have been traded on social media in order to win votes.
The competition sponsor, Cussons East Africa Limited, has now come out to warn the shameless mothers of possible expulsion from the competition over their cyber-bullying campaigns.
“It has come to our attention that the #CussonsBabyMomentsKE competition has sparked some rivalry between parents resulting in misdemeanor such as insults leading to incidents of cyber bullying.
“Contestants found guilty of this will be disqualifed immediately without notice,” read part of a statement from Cussons.
Netizens gave varied reactions, with most condemning parents for the poor behavior.