How men with female surnames are standing up to ridicule in Kenya
Children often inherit their father's first name as a surname, but traditions are changing and causing upset.
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"Why give somebody credit where it does not exist?"
— Simon Macharia Wangũi , Influencer
"People perceive you as undisciplined, especially when you are raised by a single mother."
— Evans Kibe Waceke , Influencer
"Do you know how embarrassing it is for a boy to be called out, in a room full of kids, [with] a girl's name?"
— Fred Mũitĩrĩri , Celebrity
Key People
A broadcaster who bears a female surname and comments on societal perceptions.
A TV personality who discussed the challenges of having a female surname.
A member of parliament known for having a female surname.
A Kenyan musician known for choosing his mother's name as his stage name.
A motivational speaker who criticized the trend of male surnames.
He chose his mother's name as his official surname.
A Kikuyu cultural expert with a large social media following.
Locations
All Coverage
Children often inherit their father's first name as a surname, but traditions are changing and causing upset.
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