Children who mesmerized Kenyans attention in 2020

Young kids, known for their soft-spoken nature, can astound the internet world and leave a mark, especially if given the opportunity.

Either through their stories or extraordinary talents, they tend to display emotions or characters which capture the audience and leaves them craving for more.

We  take a look at children who warmed Kenyans hearts in 2020.

 

Citizen TV anchor Jeff Koinange (left) and 11-year-old Breana (right)
Citizen TV anchor Jeff Koinange (left) and 11-year-old Breana (right) FILE

Breana

The 11-year-old girl identified as Breana took the internet by storm with a perfect impersonation of Citizen TV news anchor Jeff Koinange.

A video surfaced online of her impersonation of Koinange’s mannerisms and intonation of the voice, something that excited many Kenyans online.

With a perfect rendition of Koinange’s voice and the signature phrase ” Taaanight” she encouraged the audience to send in their questions and comments via social media and she would read them later.

Many Kenyans took to social media to laud the girl’s talent with Jeff Koinange also applauding Breana for her confident nature.

“Take a listen to 11-Year old Breaana with her own Special Brand of JKL. Somebody say Oh my! Time for me to ‘hang up’ my boots,” he teased.

Reverend Victor Githu
Reverend Victor Githu/FILE

Reverend Victor Githu

“I used to stand on stools and minister to children using a maize cob as a microphone,” he stated.

He affirmed that nothing would deter his calling to minister the word of God, to the point of almost committing suicide when his mother tried to deny him the chance.

Through videos of him preaching making rounds on social media, the young reverend has hit stardom with his live sermons, prayers and interviews garnering an average of 100,000 views on YouTube.

An image of George Natembeya
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya being confronted by a 13-year-old boy in Narok.

Dennis Lang’at

The brave 13-year-old boy became the face of ethnic strife in sections of the Rift Valley region after a video of him confronting Regional Commissioner George Natembeya went viral.

“Whose son is this?” Natembeya asked the crowd while signaling the boy to step forward.

The young man responded that Thomas, his father, was away herding cattle.

“Our house was burned down. We have nowhere to live and our maize farm destroyed,” the young boy told the regional commissioner.

“The war started from…” the 13-year-old attempted to explain before he was cut short.

“I have not asked about violence, I want to know your name,” the commissioner enquired and the boy interrupted with a question of his own, “Why are you destroying our crops?”

This prompted Natembeya to insinuate that the boy had been brought up in a violent environment. A section of netizens took to social media to applaud Lang’at for his bravery at confronting one of Kenya’s most-feared administrators.

Key political figures such as Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi also weighed in on the issue praising Lang’at for his bravery and faulting Natembeya for being insensitive to the plight of the young boy.

One of the photos from Daggy Shy's viral Baringo Girl series
One of the photos from Daggy Shy’s viral Baringo Girl series/ TWITTER

Joy Jebiwott

A series of photographs of a young girl posing in Baringo County, in a traditional African setup, caught the attention of many Kenyans.

The images, which surfaced on May 25, featured 4-year-old Joy Jebiwott in African wear alongside other women.

What intrigued netizens was Jebiwott’s infectious smile which led them to launch an online campaign for the young girl to secure an endorsement deal with an international firm.

The multinational company, however, issued a statement noting that a policy within their terms prohibited them from using anyone below the age of 12 years in marketing.

“This is pure happiness. You’ve made us smile by sharing this beautiful image. As a company, we have made a decision not to use children under the age of 12 in our adverts and marketing worldwide, but we do love seeing the creativity and passion for our brand,” part of the statement read.

11-year-old Kenyan artist Sheila Sheldone presents Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni with one of her artworks in April 2019
11-year-old Kenyan artist Sheila Sheldone presents Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni with one of her artworks in April 2019/TWITTER

Sheila Sheldon 

11-year-old Sheila Sheldon flew the Kenyan flag high on January 7, by clinching the Global Child Prodigy Award held in New Delhi, India.

Through her campaigns for women’s rights and equality as well as developing Sheila Sheldon Arts for Social Change alongside community members in Mombasa County, she has championed for change within the society.

The foundation, for instance, aids in impacting the lives of children suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders which include autism spectrum disorders, Down Syndrome as well as cerebral palsy.

Furthermore, her passion for art has also gained national recognition with the young girl coming face-to-face with the elites such as President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

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