A billboard along Mombasa Road caused worry among Kenyans as it was written entirely in Chinese.
Kenyans online expressed their worries on why such a billboard would be erected in a place where a majority of the population did not speak the language.
Media personality and business strategist Renee Ngamau stated that: "The official languages in Kenya are English and Kiswahili! Period! And we have 42 other local languages. Foreign language poster Directed solely at foreigners to the exclusion of locals??!! Seriously??!!! #PullItDown and all others like it anywhere in public spaces."
[caption caption="Reactions to the billboard"]
[/caption]
Another noted: "Kenya is slowly turning into one of china's colonies, mind you this is happening all over Africa. The new form of neo-colonialism."
"The saddest part is we allow them do so. You will be shocked that all constructions going on in nairobi are by chinese companies," another wrote.
[caption caption="Reactions to the billboard"]
[/caption]
"Now that some Chinese have erected a billboard smack inside our city in their own language without a befitting translation. Who can tell us what message they are passing on this billboard? Inaweza kuwa matusi ama (Could be it an insult?)" one Kenyan observed.
On the other hand, some Kenyans saw no wrong in the billboard with one conveying: "The fear of the otherness and languages we do not understand make us prone to stereotype. I don't see anything 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?"
"That billboard is not for you. It addresses the Chinese. Leave it alone," another stated.
When contacted by Kenyans.co.ke, a representative of the company who identified himself as Bing Liu stated that the billboard had been changed to languages that Kenyans can understand.
"We got the complaints yesterday and have switched them to English and Kiswahili to make them understandable," he assured.
[caption caption="Reactions to the billboard"]
[/caption]
