David Ndii hits back at body shamers

Economist David Ndii has responded to netizens who commented on his body weight following a viral photo where he was in the company of President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

The photo was taken during a retreat in Naivasha and quickly became a trending topic on X.

On Friday morning, Ndii hit back at body shamers, saying there are more important issues to be discussed on public platforms.

“To be overweight is a remediable personal challenge of little or no consequence to the general public. To be empty-headed is an incurable societal burden.

“Ũrimũ ndũrĩ ndawa. To have so many imbeciles with nothing better to talk on a public platform is a national tragedy,” he wrote.

His post drew the attention of former Lancet boss Dr Ahmed Kalebi who said being overweight can be managed.

Kalebi added that no one should be victimised because of their weight.

“Being overweight is an elastic challenge which has many possible contributory factors that can be addressed or managed.

“There should be no shame in being alive to one’s weight challenges. No one should allow negativity from others on account of weight,” he wrote.

Dr Abdi Issa also weighed in on the matter saying Ndii’s personal space should be respected, urging Kenyans to focus on issues that build the nation.

“It's crucial to distinguish between private and public matters. David's personal space should be respected, and his performance should not be judged based on his appearance.

“Let's focus on merit and professionalism,” he said.

Cyberbullying

The freedom of having internet access has often been abused, creating several demerits. One of the vices born with the internet is cyberbullying, predominantly witnessed on social media platforms, notably X (formerly known as Twitter).

The bullies, harass, stalk, and insult innocent people and some go to the extent of creating humiliating memes and videos.

The victims of cyberbullying often grapple with persistent mental health issues, adversely affecting their self-esteem.