A public disagreement has erupted between a senior Nairobi County official and a prominent religious leader. The dispute centres on the leaked explicit content of TikToker Sheryl Gabriella.
Geoffrey Mosiria, the Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service for the Nairobi City County Government, recently called for the arrest of Gabriella following the circulation of her private videos online. This move prompted a sharp response from Prophet Kanyari.
Prophet Kanyari spoke out against the calls for Gabriella’s arrest. He argued that many people have private content on their phones. He suggested that such mistakes are common.
"Mosiria alisema ashikwe. Ashikwe for what? That's a weakness na ni problem. Kila mtu hapa ako na ka weakness kake. Kwa hivyo wewe Mosiria unasema Gabriella ashikwe, wewe wachana na Gabriella wewe,” Kanyari hit at Mosiria.
Kanyari stated that Gabriella should be left alone to live her life. He questioned why Mosiria was targeting the young woman.
"I don't see anything bad ya kutukana huyu msichana online. Wacha Gabriella aishi maisha yake."
The Sky Comparison
Geoffrey Mosiria did not take the criticism lightly. He quickly reminded the Prophet of a previous incident involving Kanyari’s own daughter, Sky. Mosiria claimed he had supported the Prophet when Sky was facing public scrutiny for her online activities.
"I remember when Prophet Kanyari was crying because his minor daughter was recording videos and advising adults on issues beyond her age."
Mosiria accused the Prophet of employing a double standard. He questioned why Kanyari defended Gabriella while previously being distraught over his own child’s behaviour.
"So, when it is his daughter, it is a serious issue, but when it is someone else's daughter, it is acceptable?"
Mosiria further stated that he supported Kanyari during that time so the Prophet could "discipline your own daughter.". He argued that as a leader, Kanyari should be at the forefront of discouraging explicit content.
Mosiria maintains that his involvement was professional. He stated that he wanted to help Gabriella get justice after her videos were leaked. He has urged her to delete the content from the websites to avoid further exposure.
"Prophet Kanyari, my good friend, but on this one I don't support you."
Mosiria suggested that Kanyari should consider a career in politics instead of the pulpit. He claimed the Prophet's current stance could make people hate the church. The official concluded by advising Gabriella to create "decent content" on platforms like YouTube or TikTok to earn a living.
