Uhuru's Meme Goes Viral in Swaziland After Being Featured on Newspaper

A photo collage of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his meme published on the Times of Estwani newspaper on March 31, 2023.
A photo collage of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his meme published on the Times of Estwani newspaper on March 31, 2023.
Twitter
State House / Times of Estwani

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta was at the centre of debate in Swaziland, also known as Eswatini, after his meme was published in one of the local newspapers on Friday, March 31.

Times of Estwani used Uhuru's photo to depict a man who was deep in thought after discovering he was poor.

The meme was published under the picture of the day section and captioned, "I used to think uncles have a lot of money until I became one."

Following the publication, photos of the meme were shared online, leading to online debate in Eswatini and Kenya.

Uhuru In Nigeria
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta at his hotel-room in Abuja Nigeria on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Kenyans.co.ke

Discussions majorly centred on the irony of the photo, given that Uhuru was considered among the wealthiest individuals on the continent.

"Hehe, these people should have asked us to give the photos of uncles who are really struggling, not Uhuru. They should know that he can feed the whole country," Wanjiru Kioni commented.

"But why are they using the photo of our uncle who has money," Grace Munyi teased.

On the other hand, other online users also commented on how the former Head of State has gone international in recent years over his photos that were turned into viral memes.

Some Swazis also expressed shock after discovering the meme was of a former President.

"The guy in the meme was the President of Kenya! I am so shocked," Namfusi Lengs expressed on Twitter.

"This is a Kenyan product. We should start exporting memes now,"  Edward Kiprono opined.

In the years during his reign, Uhuru was often captured unaware. The hilarious facial expressions saw him nicknamed the 'meme lord'.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu at a past event. The photo was turned into a meme after it was taken.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu at a past event. The photo was turned into a meme after it was taken.
File