Homeboyz Radio forced to apologise for victim blaming woman thrown off building

Shaffie Weru DJ Joe Mfalme homeboyz

Shaffie Weru (left) and DJ Joe Mfalme. 

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The misogynistic comments, made during the station's morning show, have elicited outrage online, prompting the media firm to issue a statement.
  • This incident, however, is not the first time Homeboyz Radio presenters are apologising for victim blaming. 

Homeboyz Radio has issued an apology to members of the public after its radio presenters, Shaffie Weru, Neville Musya and DJ Joe Mfalme, made misogynistic remarks about a woman who was recently thrown off a building after rejecting a man’s sexual advances.

The woman, Eunice Wangari Wakimbi, 20, was thrown off the 12th floor of Ambank House by a man she had met on Facebook.

The crass comments, made during the station's morning show, have elicited outrage online, prompting the media firm to issue a statement.

"Presenters Shaffie Weru, Neville Musya and Dj Joe Mfalme made some inappropriate insensitive comments about and surrounding an incident involving Eunice Wangari," a statement signed by Somoina Kimojino said.

"A public apology has been run on air today by the station and the presenters have issued a personal apology as well." 

"Advice" 

During their morning show, The Lift Off, the hosts engaged their audiences by advising women on how they should play hard to get and occasionally be unavailable.

“Do you think Kenyan women whether they are dating or not are too available, too loose, too willing, or too desperate and is that the reason they get themselves in such situations?” Shaffie asks.   

He continues to tell women to stop going out to drink with men whenever called upon. In the background, Neville can be heard laughing in the clip that has since gone viral.

Court case

In the case that is still in court, Ms Wakimbi told Nairobi Principal Magistrate Esther Kimilu that she had been invited by one Moses Gatama Njoroge and while drinking she rejected his sexual advances, angering him leading a fight that saw her being thrown from a window on the 12th floor landing on the 9th floor balcony.

She suffered serious pelvic injuries and was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) where she was admitted for two months.

Mr Njoroge was charged with one count of causing grievous bodily harm.

On Wednesday, Shaffie's former co-host at Kiss FM, Adele Onyango, reacted to the viral clip of the morning show.

“I am sending all my love to survivors – every day we have to interact with people pushing the narrative that our NO isn’t worthy, shouldn’t be respected and should be met with violence and abuse. That is not true. You are not to blame.”

Bien Aime of Sauti Sol said the conversation the trio had in the studio was tasteless.

“Why is this still on here? This conversation stinks. This is not the way brothers. Victim shaming is as stupid as the act itself. Do better.”

Not the first time

This incident, however, is not the first time Homeboyz Radio presenters are apologising for victim blaming. 

In 2019, the radio station pulled a show and suspended musician Didge after he mocked Ivy Wangechi, a medical student who was murdered brutally. Didge had made jokes and puns about the murder as his co-presenters laughed.

In his remarks, Didge told girls to be mindful of the people they are dating because that is how they might die.

Ms Wangechi was killed inside Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret where she was doing her final exams.

The suspect, Naftali Njahi Kinuthia, is said to have hit her with an axe before slitting her throat with a sword. 

In a lengthy post on Instagram moments after his suspension, Didge said he regreted his utterances after realising his mistake and apologised to his fans and members of the public who might have been hurt by his comments.