Outrage as Kenyans on Twitter lash out at CNN over 'terror hotbed' remark

Kenyans yesterday took to social media to ridicule CNN after the international news channel labelled the country as a hotbed of terrorism, ahead of US President Barack Obama's arrival.

Using the hashtag #SomeOneTellCNN on the twitter platform, thousands of Kenyans were joined by citizens of other countries around the world to taunt the Atlanta-based media house. Most of the posts sought to school CNN on the many 'amazing things' about Kenya, but not without a pinch of mockery, as some sought to vent their anger, resentment and sarcasm.

However, a few were quite nasty as Kenyans On Twitter identified as an informal and virtual mob dubbed KOT, vented their displeasure with the news beamed by the channel around the world.

In one post filled with scorn, a user said CNN was actually right in labelling Kenya as a terror hotbed, only if winning in athletics could be defined as an act of terrorism. In the post, there was a picture of Kenya's Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba walking briskly past two seemingly white men lying on the ground after a race.

"CNN was right. When a behaviour like this goes unpunished, a place should be called a hotbed of terror," read the post.

Kenya is the world's most successful country in medium to long athletics events, often attaining straight 1-2-3 finishes, especially in marathons.

A user identified as Kevin Omondi posted, "#SomeoneTellCNN we have a hard-working governor who can make grass grow in two days," in reference to beautification efforts in Nairobi County ahead of Obama's arrival.

County workers were, until last evening, planting grass on the city's major roads, mostly the ones that Obama's motorcade is expected to ride through.

Renowned publicist Gina Din Kariuki was rather unusually undiplomatic and told off CNN by posting, "Does the number of Europeans fighting for ISIS make Europe a terrorist hotbed #SomeoneTellCNN the danger of a single story."

Business mogul and media personality Chris Kirubi offered to help CNN to find news. "#SomeoneTellCNN they have their own agenda in bringing Africa down. If you have nothing to report, we will help you. You won't derail our vision."

Earlier, Kirubi had told CNN that Kenya was a hotbed of investment opportunities and great people, "unless you (CNN) are the one bringing the terror."

By late afternoon, the conversation on the subject had generated about 200,000 posts, prompting other international media houses to join. By then, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery had demanded an apology from CNN, perhaps conveying the feelings on behalf of millions of Kenyans who had found the newscast unnecessarily alarmist.

CNN had early Wednesday aired the news of Obama's trip to Kenya. "President Barack Obama is not just heading to his father's homeland, but to a hotbed of terror," the CNN report read, in reference to the heightened terror threat posed by the Al Shabaab.

The militants have staged deadly terror attacks including the massacre at Garissa University College in April this year and at the Westgate shopping mall in 2013.