Lupita claps back after Balala claims she has been ‘inaccessible’ for 5 years

Award winning Hollywood actress Lupita Nyong'o.

Lupita Nyong’o has reacted to a statement by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala claiming that she has been “inaccessible” for five years.

British supermodel Naomi Campbell was appointed the Magical Kenya International Tourism Ambassador by CS Najib Balala on January 12.

Naomi’s appointment stirred debate with opposers saying a Kenyan should have gotten the job.

British supermodel Naomi Campbell with Tourism CS Najib Balala. [Photo: Ministry of Tourism]

“I know everybody is asking why not Lupita. Lupita has commitments and her managers cannot allow us to access her. We’ve spent the last five years looking for Lupita,” said CS Balala on Friday at Kenyatta University.

He was speaking during the issuance of certificates to 60 researchers who did studies on the impacts of COVID-19 on travel and tourism industry in Kenya last year.

Lupita responded to the Ministry of tourism in a tweet with a picture of herself laughing, quoted, “Me when I hear the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism has been looking for me for fives (sic) years. #Imrightherebaby #alternativefacts.”

Me when I hear the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism has been looking for me for fives years. #Imrightherebaby #alternativefacts pic.twitter.com/jHmEVMSaI9 — Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) January 22, 2021

On Campbell’s appointment, CS Balala said, “We have a framework to work around her and she accepted to do it for free. She offered herself because of her love and commitment to Kenya.”

CS Balala had a meeting with Naomi during her latest holiday trip to the country. [Photo: Ministry of Tourism]