A photo of untranslated Chinese writings at the just completed Ngong Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) tunnel has angered a section of Kenyans online.
The image, which was shared by State House director of Digital Innovation and Diaspora Communications Dennis Itumbi on Monday evening, features several untranslated Chinese writings.
“Kenya is officially home to the longest railway tunnel in East Africa. SGR Ngong Tunnel completed,” Itumbi captioned the photo in a tweet.
Kenyans on social media were quick to note the symbols only written in Chinese with many asking whether the tunnel was actually in China or in Kenya.
ODM party director of communications Philip Etale asked: “Longest railway tunnel in China or Kenya?… lol.”
@Omoroh4 said: ” Am saddened by the large Chinese writings with no Swahili translation. Ukoloni mamboleo.”
@jobransupplies noted: “Someone would be forgiven for thinking this is Beijing, China.”
@navz_otwosh tweeted: ” This looks like a Chinese train station…these guys will soon own all our title deeds.”
Anne Njenga said: ‘Kenya is an English speaking country, why are the signs written in Chinese/Mandarin with the bigger caption versus English being the bigger caption??? most of the time the signs do not have the English translation….”
Thamaini Kinywa noted: “Colonization in progress. Starts with enforcing their language and culture on us. The Europeans did.”
The Ngong tunnel stretches for 7.41km and is set to be the second longest railway tunnel after 13.6 kilometer Hex River Tunnel in South Africa. The tunnel is part of the SGR railway section between Nairobi and Naivasha whose construction will be completed mid-2019.
Pull that board down and put…
Pull that board down and put a Swahili sign
How about our Kikuyu…
How about our Kikuyu Community that has a Church in Massachusetts where they Preach in Kikuyu and KIKUYU alone. Surprised?
Mmmh kube they can see…
Mmmh kube they can see Chinese writing but they don’t know the English writing n language we speak is not ours too.Black brainwashed pple we are.If there is a country am proud of us Tanzania for keeping Swahili their first language not like us kenya we kept English?So this chinese writing is a very simple thing!Bure kabisa
@MkenyaHalisi, is it okay…
@MkenyaHalisi, is it okay when Chinese build a railway on loan they expect us to pay then ingrain their symbols on it with full knowledge 99.99999% of the population can not read it? If a painter came to your house and wrote wordings you can not read after painting would you thank him and happily pay him? This is not about origins of English cos after all most of the population can read and understand it. And by the way if you dig into it you will realize Kiswahili has lots of influence from say Arabs etc. This is about respect of the Kenyan people by the Chinese, nothing else.
Good observation@ mkenya…
Good observation@ mkenya halisi.However the issue has more to do with majority of kenyans being able to understand the writings.Were the writings in lingala,or Zulu the complaints would be equally valid .
My question is this ,shouldnt such writings be in consultation with the “natives”.
Even the red colors look…
Even the red colors look like the Chinese flag
The Chinese are making basic…
The Chinese are making basic things seem complicated just as an excuse to hire Chinese speakers. Kenyan pilots fly and land planes every day including Russian-built fighter jets. Driving a train is not rocket science or brain surgery. That’s why all the SGR train and railway operations manuals are in Chinese. I bet all machinery delivered to Iran is in Farsi and all Chinese made products sold to USA are labeled in English. This just boils down to disrespect and madharau. Freedom fighters must be rolling in their graves!
Hehehe mbeberu left now…
Hehehe mbeberu left now Chieng liet thi has arrived. 2028 it maybe the aborigines. I personally would prefer the amozons
Waswahili husema, …
Waswahili husema, “Asiyefunzwa na mamaye hufunzwa na ulimwengu usio na huruma.”
Mwanafunzi kutoka Zambia…
Mwanafunzi kutoka Zambia aliyekuwa akijifunza uhandisi (engineering) katika nchi ya Uchina kuuawa baada ya kupatikana na akiwa na msichana wa Kichina.
https://youtu.be/tZOBqhk_rm8