Very few ambassadors can integrate with Kenyans as spectacularly as the new US Ambassador, Kyle McCarter, has done.
The ambassador takes every opportunity he gets to interact with people and most importantly address them in one of their national languages, Swahili.
On Tuesday night, he took the challenge a notch higher and attempted to read Kiswahili sentences while on live TV.
The two had been discussing the ambassador's constant attacks on Kenyan leaders over their high corruption levels when Mohammed challenged him to read one of his tweets he had written in Swahili.
With a slightly off accent, McCarter took on the challenge and read 80 percent of the 5-sentence tweet before the host took over.
"Corruption-ni Kama mbwa kubwa na nono. Anakuja Kwa Boma lako kila siku, anaingia ndani ya ghala lako na kukula chakula chako. Unampapasa kisha anaenda kwa boma nyingine. Na wananchi wanashangaa kwa nini wako na njaa. Lakini kama Thievery, mbwa huyo angekuwa Mg’ondi, mngemfukuza!
(Corruption is like a big fat dog. He comes into your home, gets into your granary and eats your food. You caress him and then he goes to another homestead and the citizens wonder why they are hungry. But just like thievery, you could chase away the dog)," read the tweet.
Kenyans praised his fluency in the local language and most notably for his boldness and straightforwardness as they urged him to help the country tame corruption.
"Sisi hatuna uwezo. Hatuna nguvu.. Kama unaweza saidia sisi, tutafurahi sana, (We do not have the power or strength. If you can, just help us and we will be really happy," posted a user.
"Precise. Huyo mbwa lazima auwawe (that dog must be killed). Thank you Mr. Ambassador for your very clear message on corruption which is draining our country. No sector is spared by this dog including budget ya watoto mayatima (budget for the orphans)," posted another.
The original tweet that was posted by McCarter himself garnered over 1,000 comments and 3,500 retweets.
Below is the video of the ambassador reading in Swahili:
