Is it because of money? Maina Kageni questions why ladies rank Kenyan men low compared to whites

Media personality Maina Kageni has said Kenyan women seem to prefer West African and white men over Kenyan men.

Taking to his X account on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Kageni said Kenyan men are being ranked low and asked why local men are being overlooked in favour of foreigners, questioning whether it was about money or perception.

“Surely …Kenyan ladies, why do you rank Kenyan men so low? Yaani, Kenyan ladies prefer West Africans and White men? Where did Kenyan men go wrong …or is it because of money? …perception?”

Maina Kageni’s sentiments come amid a controversy involving a Russian national identified as Yaytseslav, whose actions have sparked outrage and government action in Kenya. Videos shared online showed the man approaching Kenyan women in public places and later secretly recording encounters without their consent.

Authorities and human rights advocates condemned the behaviour as a violation of privacy and dignity, and investigations have been launched by the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services to trace the man and hold him accountable under Kenyan law.

Many criticised the Russian man for recording and posting intimate footage of women without permission, calling it wrong and exploitative.

At the same time, some social media users used the incident to criticise the women featured in the videos, saying they had been too quick to engage with a foreigner, trusting him simply because he was white.

They called out Kenyan women for being easy and desperate.

Civil society voices and influencers urged respect for women’s privacy and dignity, and emphasised that regardless of who appears in the videos, the focus should be on ethical behaviour and consent. The Ministry has also warned the public not to share or circulate the footage, saying doing so could harm victims further and attract legal consequences.