Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo faced social media backlash from some American citizens over his tweet on the latest mass shootings in the United States, where 29 people were killed and more than 40 wounded.
Madowo, who is currently in the US, appeared to question his safety there having gone to sleep with news of a mass shooting at a Wallmart store in El Paso, Texas, and waking up to the news of a similar incident in Dayton, Ohio.
“I went to sleep on news of a mass shooting in El Paso. I woke up to the news of a mass shooting in Dayton. This is only my first weekend living in these United States,” Madowo wrote on his Twitter account.
His sentiments appeared to have irked some Americans, with one of them telling him to leave if he felt unsafe.
“You are a newcomer to America and you publicly say that the country is not safe despite the hell hole you are from. Get lost moron! Go home!” a Twitter user identified as John Seibert told Madowo.
“Hey, you don’t like it here you can leave,” Siebert said in another tweet.
“I have two words for you. Get Out,” @claude_bae told Madowo.
While responding to Mr. Siebert, Madowo sarcastically wrote: “I have received a warm welcome, evidently.”
Kenyans online sided with Madowo, with some issuing ‘travel advisories’ against the US while others asked the journalist to return home until the country is declared ‘safe.’
Madowo is in the US to attend Columbia University in New York City, where he was admitted to study business and economics on a scholarship.
He is among the beneficiaries of 44th Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Business and Economics at Columbia Journalism School.
