Radio host apologises for mocking Buruburu family over their lost dog

Homeboyz Radio morning show presenters G-Money (L) and Charlie Karumi (R). [Courtesy]

A Homeboyz radio presenter has been forced to apologise to a family in Buruburu, Nairobi for making unpleasant comments on air about the family’s missing dog.

In their Thursday morning show, G-Money and his co-host Charlie Karumi, criticised the family for offering an Sh10,000 reward for their missing dog, saying the animal did not come from any of Nairobi’s high-end estates.

“Now, there is a Sh10, 000 for Bo,” G-Money said.

“You mean Sh10, 000 for a missing dog from Buruburu? I thought you were going to say Karen or Muthaiga. [The reward for] a dog from Buruburu should be Sh500,” Karumi added.

The dog owners, Josiah and Jessica Mwangi, said their pet went missing on Tuesday, January 25 and was found dead on Thursday morning, January 27 in Buruburu.

The Mwangis say it’s only G-Money who called to apologise for the demeaning comments after learning that the dog had died.

“Twitter users piled pressure on him to apologise,” Jessica told The Standard.

“We received G-Money’s apology via text message,” she added.

Uproar

Several online users had called out the presenters for profiling city dwellers’ lifestyles based on what they believed to be the residents’ purchasing power.

“Does it matter that someone [from Buruburu] put up a reward for his lost dog? Is it your money [that he’s pledging]?” posed Naomi Mutua.

The Mwangis’ dog, named Bo, was six years old.

In their missing pet alert circulated on Wednesday, Jessica and Josiah said: “Our dog Bo has been missing for the last 24 hours. He is a 6-year-old dog. Black in colour with splashes of white. A mix of a terrier and a spitz. He answers to his name Bo, but he’s not used to being out alone, and might be afraid and aggressive.”

Jessica said she suspects her pet was killed by other aggressive dogs in the estate.