Kenyan activist Hanifa Adan has hit out at local media outlets, accusing them of misrepresenting her recent security scare for clout.
In a strongly worded statement, Hanifa dismissed headlines that labelled her experience as an “abduction attempt,” saying she never described the incident in those terms.
“Kenyan media have used my name for clout in the longest time. It’s sad,” Hanifa stated in her response shared on social media.
“When did I say it was an abduction attempt??”
Her comments follow widespread media coverage of a Saturday night incident in which she detailed a disturbing encounter with two men who persistently pressured her to get into their vehicle after she alighted from a bus.
In her initial account, Hanifa said one of the men had sat next to her on the bus and insisted on taking her home, claiming his brother was nearby with a car. Despite informing him that she had already ordered an Uber, the man allegedly returned with another individual and continued urging her to go with them.
Sensing danger, Hanifa threatened to scream if they did not leave, prompting the two men to walk away.
While she recounted the incident as alarming and unsettling, Hanifa has now made it clear that she did not describe it as an attempted abduction, pushing back against sensationalised reporting.
Her response has reignited debate over how the media reports on personal safety and incidents involving public figures, with some critics calling for greater accuracy and ethical standards in news coverage.
