Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has got stuck in the middle of an almighty Twitter storm. (cbc.ca)
The controversy began after Ugandan newspaper New Vision published a story in which Bunyoro monarch Solomon Gafabusa Iguru sent a congratulatory message to his ‘cousin’ Kenyatta after the latter was confirmed Kenya’s fourth president.
The newspaper published pictures of relatives with similar appearances to Kenyatta and a follow-up story debating the possibilities of the connection, citing an apparently long-standing theory that Kenyatta’s father Jomo, the first president of Kenya, was the son of Omukama Kabalega of Bunyoro.
This prompted an angry response from Kenyan Twitter users.
#SomeoneTellUganda we didnt just claim Obama is Kenyan. No. His dad's is actually Kenyan. So they shd not start claiming Uhuru is Ugandan
— Extra Cheese (@JadeJela) April 15, 2013
#someonetelluganda To stop joking around with #KOT #UK was born in #Kenya not in their country.
— Victor La Vainqueur (@VNjoro) April 13, 2013
It is not the first time Kenyans have taken to the microblogging site to condemn other nations over perceived slights. HumanIPO reported last month Kenya and Nigeria had become embroiled in a Twitter war following mistreatment of Kenyan national football players in Nigeria.
Earlier in March, Kenyans On Twitter (#KOT) took to the social platform to demonstrate against comments by the Botswanan government that president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta was unwelcome in their country, leading to a retraction.
Kenyan Twitter users have also reacted to incorrect stories of election violence and remarks by US president Barack Obama.
There was, however, some negative reactions to the hashtag, with some of the comments taking on a derogatory or racial nature.
#SomeoneTellKenya this #SomeoneTellUganda hoopla is needless. You don't abuse a country that is the biggest importer of Kenyan goods.
— Edgar Odari (@odariedgar) April 13, 2013
This #someonetelluganda must be the leading source of grammatical errors on #twitter.
— Lenard (@360Lenz) April 13, 2013
