Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has praised Kenyans for rallying together to defend the country’s image following controversial remarks made by American actress Skai Jackson about her visit to Kenya.

Speaking at Harambee Annex in Nairobi on Monday, Mwaura said the public’s response demonstrated patriotism and showed that Kenyans remain united whenever the country’s reputation is challenged.

“We have seen some people coming to our country, and they come to speak negatively about us. There is an actress called Skai Jackson who remarked about mirrors in Kenya. What we used to witness before, when Africa was being painted in a bad picture by the American media, is a thing of the past,” Mwaura said.

He noted that Kenya has made significant progress over the years and should no longer be viewed through outdated stereotypes.

“We are in a new digital era of becoming a first-world country. Kenya is a country that has rapidly grown. The other day, you saw President William Ruto representing the whole of Africa at the G7 Summit. Our country has a stable economy in Central and West Africa. Our currency is strong and we have athletes competing on world stages,” he added.

Mwaura thanked Kenyans for pushing back against Jackson’s comments, saying the reaction proved that national unity rises above political differences.

“I thank Kenyans for standing up against the American actress Skai Jackson’s sentiment. We may have our differences as Kenyans, but when we are provoked, we stand together. Thank you, patriotic Kenyans, for defending our country. Let us continue standing up for our country,” he said.

The Government Spokesperson also defended Kenya’s reputation as a safe destination for tourism and investment, warning that remarks discouraging visitors from travelling to the country could negatively affect the economy.

According to Mwaura, Kenya’s tourism sector continues to post strong growth, with international arrivals increasing from approximately 1.48 million to 2.2 million visitors. He added that domestic tourism has also grown to about 5.2 million travellers, bringing the total number of tourists to roughly 7.5 million.