Kenyans livid after govt uses ‘unKenyan’ photo on Huduma Namba sample

The government was on Thursday forced to set the record straight on a version of the Huduma Namba cards that had been circulated online and in the process dug itself into a deeper hole.

Government Spokesperson Col. (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna was forced to clarify and share how the card will look like amid confusion that the card had a Mastercard logo.

“This is the feel and look of the Huduma Card,” Oguna posted.

This is the feel and look of the #HudumaCard. pic.twitter.com/hjhBz7Z6Pe

— Spokesperson GoK (@SpokespersonGoK) November 18, 2020

The government clarified that the card being circulated was fake, adding that a government cannot collaborate with a card company on a national identity card project.

“The Government of Kenya (GOK) has now distanced itself from the picture terming it as fake. Kenyans have been made to believe that this is how the #HudumaCard looks like. We wish to clarify that this is FAKE and that #HudumaCard has no expiry date. Kaa Chonjo,” the Spokesman said in a statement.

This FAKE image has been circulating on social media. Kenyans have been made to believe that this is how the #HudumaCard looks like. We wish to clarify that this is FAKE and that #HudumaCard has no expiry date. Kaa Chonjo. pic.twitter.com/0rTSW8TM9R

— Spokesperson GoK (@SpokespersonGoK) November 18, 2020

Despite the confusion, what irked Kenyans on social media was the use of a the picture of a Caucasian woman on the sample Huduma Namba card instead of that of a reguar Kenyan citizen.

Here is what they had to say.

There was no indigenous African to use for the specimen?

— Esther Aruka (@EstherAruka) November 18, 2020

So they had to use a white person as specimen. Wow!!

— BRAVIN YURI (@BravinYuri) November 18, 2020

They should have used ile ya Uhuru the one they took with a shirt n came with a coat

— Debby (@sangdebby) November 19, 2020

I’m still wondering how to show this one to my elderly Gikuyu mother. She might massacre that first name

— Sheez D Guvness (@sheezgurl) November 18, 2020

You could not get e.g Jane Kamau or Anthony Mutisia to use as a demo? Inferiority complex or a complete contempt for Kenyans ? Which one is it ?

— Abdulkadir Hersi (@SankaHersi) November 19, 2020

Why would the kenyan govt use a sample with foreign details and even location to show a sample, they are not proud of their originality, this govt though needs prayers

— Geff Kim (@geff_kim) November 19, 2020

Apa kwa picha hamgepata “Wanjiku” ama “a fellow Kenyan” afikishe hii ujumbe ama Utopia would do it better!!? At such a time I still find this to be a misplaced priority, can we first deal with Corona issue!!!!

— JustImagine (@_samkioko) November 19, 2020