Residents of an African country were outraged online over British supermodel Naomi Campbell’s new position. Negative comments appeared under the publication of the Ministry of Tourism of Kenya on Twitter.
According to the ministry, the celebrity was appointed tourist ambassador of the state and will represent its interests internationally. Nevertheless, this decision caused a flurry of indignation among residents of the country because they wanted to see a native of Kenya in the post.
“Why didn’t they choose Lupita Nyongo (a Kenyan-Mexican theater and film actress) for us to promote the image of true native Kenya,” one reader wrote.
Another user thought that Ajuma Nasenyana (a Kenyan model) or Debra Sanipei (a Kenyan activist and politician) could apply for the position.
Their remarks were also supported by another local resident. “This shows that you don’t trust Kenyans to promote your own country. Why is it so important for you to hire a British woman to promote tourism in Kenya? This colonial mentality has hurt Kenya’s tourism industry. We see ourselves as oppressed all the time,” he said.
Nevertheless, Najib Balala, secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, said Campbell’s appointment as an ambassador is a necessary step to promote and develop Kenya’s tourism sector.
In April 2019, Campbell admitted that sometimes her career has had problems because of her skin color. The model revealed that “one country” pulled down ads featuring her because of racist prejudice. According to the celebrity, even though the fashion industry has become much more tolerant of people of color, it still has a long way to go before full racial equality is achieved.
