Kenyan media personality Lynn Ngugi has dismissed American television host Rob Finnerty’s apology to Nairobi residents, questioning whether he is genuinely sorry for his controversial remarks about Kenya’s capital or simply reacting to the backlash from Kenyans online.
In a strongly worded statement shared on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Ngugi criticized Finnerty for using Nairobi as a negative comparison while discussing immigration and changing conditions in American cities.
Her response came hours after the Newsmax presenter publicly apologized to the people of Nairobi following widespread criticism of comments he made during a television broadcast.
“You’re pathetic, and your apology is just as pathetic,” Ngugi said, arguing that Finnerty’s statement did not demonstrate genuine respect for Kenyans or Africans.
Why did Lynn Ngugi reject the apology?
Ngugi questioned the timing of Finnerty’s apology, suggesting that he might not have expressed regret had Kenyans remained silent about his remarks.
According to the media personality, the apology followed the public pressure that erupted after his comments attracted widespread attention on social media.
She argued that Finnerty would probably have continued with his work without reconsidering his words if Kenyans had not challenged him.
“You’re not sorry you said it, Rob. You’re sorry we heard you, understood exactly what you meant, and refused to let you get away with it,” she said.
Her response reflected a broader frustration among Kenyans who felt that Nairobi had been unfairly portrayed as a symbol of urban decline during a discussion that centered on immigration in the United States.
Ngugi also questioned why the Kenyan capital had been dragged into an American political debate when the country itself faces challenges that could have been discussed without making negative comparisons with an African city.
What Rob Finnerty said about Nairobi
The controversy began during a Newsmax segment in which Finnerty discussed immigration, street conditions, and the changing character of American cities.
While criticizing immigration policies associated with former US President Joe Biden, the presenter claimed that some American cities were changing because of immigration from developing countries.
“They move to blue sanctuary cities, and the cities then start to look more like Nairobi than New York City,” Finnerty said during the broadcast.
The remark triggered a backlash from Kenyan social media users, many of whom objected to Nairobi being presented as an undesirable example.
Critics also pointed out that the people interviewed in the segment identified themselves as coming from several countries, including Guatemala, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mexico, and Guinea. None of those featured in the clip identified themselves as being from Kenya or Nairobi, according to reports by The Star and K24 Digital.
For many Kenyans, the issue was not simply the comparison itself but the wider perception that African cities can casually be used as shorthand for poverty, disorder, or failure.
Finnerty apologizes after online backlash.
Following the criticism, Finnerty issued an apology addressed to the people of Nairobi.
“I want to offer an apology to the people of Nairobi, Kenya. The passion you have for your city and homeland is amazing… We all make mistakes. I misspoke, and I am sorry to anyone I have offended,” he wrote.
However, the apology did not end the controversy. Some Kenyans argued that a statement on social media was insufficient and demanded that Finnerty apologize on air, using the same television platform where he made the original remarks.
Ngugi was among those who remained unconvinced by his response. She maintained that the apology did not erase the implications of his original comments and urged him to reconsider the attitudes behind them.
“Keep your apology,” she declared, adding that what he needed was to unlearn the thinking that made him believe such remarks were acceptable.
She concluded her message with the expression “WANTAM!” a phrase widely associated with political activist and former Nairobi senator Mike Sonko in Kenyan public discourse, often used to signal defiance or an emphatic rejection.
A wider debate about how Africa is portrayed
The exchange has reignited discussion about how African countries and cities are represented in international media.
For critics, the Nairobi controversy raises questions about the tendency to use African locations as negative comparisons without sufficient context or consideration of their diversity, infrastructure, and development.
Nairobi is a major commercial, technological, and diplomatic hub in East Africa, although, like other large cities, it also faces challenges involving infrastructure, housing, traffic, and urban services.
The debate also illustrates the influence of Kenyans on social media, who increasingly mobilize online to challenge international figures when they believe the country has been misrepresented.
Whether Finnerty’s apology will satisfy his critics remains uncertain. Ngugi, for her part, has made her position clear: an apology should mean more than responding after public outrage. It should also involve acknowledging the harm caused and reconsidering the attitudes that produced the controversial remarks in the first place.
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