Tourism CS Miano faces online backlash for endorsing and wearing Manchester United jersey
While many condemned the act, others came to Miano’s defence. Supporters argued that liking an international football club did not conflict with her professional duties.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has stirred an online storm after she shared photos of herself wearing a Manchester United jersey, sparking widespread criticism from Kenyans who believe public officials should back local sports instead of foreign clubs.
Many social media users expressed disappointment, arguing that Miano’s choice of attire contradicted her mandate to promote Kenyan culture and tourism.
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Some felt that by openly supporting an international football team, she had missed a valuable opportunity to boost the visibility of local sports, which continue to struggle with low support and limited sponsorship.
“What message are we sending to the youth when our leaders choose to highlight foreign teams over local ones?” asked a user on X.
The backlash quickly gained momentum, with netizens questioning the message being conveyed by the CS. Some accused her of being unpatriotic, given her position in a ministry responsible for elevating Kenya’s global image through tourism and cultural promotion.
A number of users mentioned struggling local clubs like Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Shabana FC, and the national rugby team, Shujaa, whose recent performances have sparked national pride. They urged the CS to redirect her support toward these home-grown teams.
“Never seen you support local clubs. I wonder if you promote tourism for Old Trafford or Kenya,” posted Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai in response to the photos.
“Imagine the CS for Tourism hyping a foreign league while local attractions and sports struggle for visibility. What a spectacular misread of the job description,” wrote advocate Willis Evans Otieno.
While many condemned the act, others came to Miano’s defence. Supporters argued that liking an international football club did not conflict with her professional duties. They maintained that personal interests should be allowed, even for government officials.
“You also have a team to support for fun. Almost everyone has alongside local teams, stop the hypocrisy,” X user @CaptainKorir replied in support of Miano.
Otieno, however, stood his ground, emphasizing the distinction between personal choices and national obligations.
“Let’s not confuse personal fandom with public responsibility,” he wrote, adding that when a Cabinet Secretary promotes a foreign league instead of helping local sports and creatives gain visibility, the issue goes beyond personal preference.
Others echoed similar views, suggesting that the CS take a more active role in uplifting local talent. They pointed out that stronger local sports could enhance tourism by attracting fans, boosting local economies, and telling the Kenyan story to the world.
“Madam CS, as CS for Tourism, kindly promote local football teams. They promote local tourism,” stated user @Mutonyi.
“Can we normalise promoting and tagging our very own? We have Shabana FC, Gor Mahia, Murang’a Seals, AFC Leopards and so on. Manchester is already up there,” said @denkaranimation.
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