Ofweneke Calls Out Content Creators Over Use of Luhya Stereotypes for Clout

Media personality and comedian Dr Ofweneke has strongly criticized a growing trend on Kenyan social media that uses the Luhya community as the punchline for viral content, saying creators should stop relying on tribal stereotypes to gain views and engagement.

In a passionate video shared online, Ofweneke condemned what he described as a “useless” and “stupid” trend in which creators repeatedly portray Luhya men, women and culture in a negative light simply to attract likes, shares and algorithmic reach.

He argued that such content does not promote comedy but instead reinforces harmful stereotypes that paint the Luhya community as backward or uncivilized.

“If I don’t speak about it, it’s a very useless trend, a very stupid trend that will continue,” he said.

The veteran broadcaster said he was speaking not only to members of his own community but also to creators from across Kenya’s different ethnic groups, urging them to rethink the type of content they produce.

According to Ofweneke, too many TikTok videos have turned the Luhya community into an easy target, with creators using tribal jokes as a shortcut to virality rather than investing in original, meaningful comedy.

“Please, if you want to trend using a certain tribe or some stereotypical jokes, please use your own community,” he said. “There’s a growing trend on social media that if you want to make people laugh or get traction from the algorithm, you have to mention the Luhya people.”

He lamented that the jokes rarely celebrate the community or reflect its true identity. Instead, he said, they often portray Luhyas as unintelligent, poorly dressed or culturally inferior, images he insisted bear little resemblance to reality.

Ofweneke maintained that the Luhya community is made up of educated, organized and hardworking people whose identity should not be reduced to recycled online stereotypes.

He also challenged creators who are not members of the community to stop producing content about Luhya traditions and instead focus on their own cultures if they wish to make tribe-based comedy.

“If there’s anything about our character, our society or our culture, please let Luhyas speak for our own. Leave us alone to talk about our culture. You talk about your tribe,” he said.

The comedian did not oppose humour itself but questioned comedy that depends on ridiculing entire communities for clicks. In his view, creators should aim to produce content that is both entertaining and responsible instead of recycling harmful narratives simply because they perform well on social media.

Ofweneke believes creators can be funny without making an ethnic group the subject of ridicule.

He warned that repeatedly portraying one community in a negative light undermines efforts to build national unity and mutual respect among Kenya’s diverse population.

“This thing of you wanting likes and shares and people to use your sound by insulting Luhyas—that is stupidity. That is bad behaviour,” he said. “We’re trying to create a very cohesive society.”

The media personality also urged creators to leave Luhya men, women and cultural traditions out of content that exists solely to provoke laughter through negative stereotypes.

Even so, Ofweneke insists there is a difference between light-hearted humour and content that repeatedly singles out one community for negative portrayals.

For him, the issue extends beyond comedy to the broader impact creators have on public perception, particularly among younger audiences who consume most of their entertainment online.

He challenged influencers to use their platforms more responsibly by producing content that informs, inspires and entertains without relying on outdated ethnic clichés.

For the veteran entertainer, comedy should unite audiences—not perpetuate stereotypes at the expense of an entire community.