News anchor Zindzi Kibiku blasts lawyer Ahmednassir for claiming Kenyan TV ladies are picked according to booty and beauty
KTN News anchor Zindzi Kibiku had a heated back and forth exchange with vocal lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi after his recent claims that TV anchors in Kenyan are picked not according to their skills or brains, but according to their beauty and body curves.
The lawyer took to Twitter to claim that TV stations now focus on the two things unlike in the past when true skills were honored.
“Saw this & realized we have many professional ladies i.e Anne Soy, Beatrice Marshall, Sophie Ikenye, Catherine Wambua etc with foreign media & judged on their professionalism, while our local girls on TV seem hired on the size of their bosom & booty,” wrote Abdullahi on Twitter.
The KTN news anchor wasn’t impressed with his statement and fired back saying that it’s a claim that has been there for long and guys should stop now.
“This is becoming old and outright disgusting.” she said.
The lawyer fired back, “You can only debunk this with empirical data…then I will listen. Hysteria and emotions won’t help…so go ahead…I am waiting!!!”
“Your statement is equally based on emotions and generalizes all women in broadcast journalism. Share your empirical data too. Then we compare notes. Yes?” Kibiku replied.
Women in media
She also went on to explain how women have been subjected to scrutiny when they land such positions.
“Look, for the longest time women in TV have been sexualized and their intelligence downplayed but that’s not where the story ends. There are so many talented female journalists setting the pace. They are brilliant and beautiful. We make no apologies,” she told SDE.
“More than ever our local newsroom have dark skin women with natural air might I add. This is a big win. Small girls can see and appreciate their beauty because they can see someone they relate with,” added Zindzi.