Missing Billionaire Jack Ma Gets Sympathy From Kenyans

Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma
Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma
Twitter

The news about the unknown whereabouts of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma spread around the world like wildfire and Kenyans also voiced their concerns. 

Many Kenyans felt compelled to comment on the reports given his generous donations to help the country grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Jack Ma became Kenya's number one trending topic on Twitter after the global media reported the enterprenuer's disappearance.

He was said to have made a speech criticising the Chinese government - known for its crackdown on voices of dissent. 

Nation columnist Gabriel Oguda criticised African countries for not speaking against the billionaire's disappearance.

From left: Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma at State House in July 2017
From left: Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma at State House in July 2017
PSCU

“Jack Ma is missing, and those African countries he donated PPEs to haven't bothered to issue a statement yet. These are the fake friends people were cutting off in 2021,” he stated in a tweet.

Comedian Daniel Ndambuki popularly known as Churchill raised concerns that African countries could face similar wrath from China if they defaulted on their loans

“If at all Jack Ma, a Chinese citizen’s undoing was to criticize his government, what of us who owe trillions?” he questioned. 

Political scientist Bravin Yuri also shared Churchill’s sentiments about the Asian country in respect to the debt owed by Kenya.

Cornel Mutui argued that even if he was a billionaire, Jack Ma was disadvantaged because individuals do not hold power over governments. 

“Luckily, we are a country. Countries tend to have more power than individuals even when those individuals are powerful multi-billionaires. There's always a balance of power in the world. China can't just do stuff to Kenya. The Americans and Europeans might intervene,” he offered. 

Concerns about the billionaire's whereabouts were raised after the Alibaba founder failed to make a public appearance in more than two months, some of them very critical to his business. 

He was a no-show in the final episode of his own talent show, Africa’s Business Heroes, which gives budding African entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a piece of Ksh 163,950,000.

Ma was supposed to be part of the team of judges, but was replaced by an Alibaba executive in the November final, UK’s Telegraph reported.

Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma talks to young entrepreneurs and students at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. September 2019.
Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma talks to young entrepreneurs and students at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. September 2019.
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