American television anchor Rob Finnerty has apologised to the people of Nairobi, Kenya, following a social media backlash over his remarks comparing the Kenyan capital to New York City during a discussion about immigration in the United States.
Finnerty, who hosts Finnerty on conservative news network Newsmax, issued the apology on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, acknowledging that he had misspoken after his comments triggered criticism from Kenyan social media users.
“I want to offer an apology to the people of Nairobi, Kenya. The passion you have for your city and homeland is amazing. We all make mistakes. I misspoke, and I am sorry to anyone I have offended,” he said.
The apology followed widespread criticism from Kenyans who accused the presenter of using Nairobi as a negative stereotype while discussing immigration and urban conditions in American cities.
What Rob Finnerty Said About Nairobi
The controversy began during an October 9 broadcast in which Finnerty discussed immigration, street conditions and the changing character of American cities.
During the segment, the presenter criticised immigration policies under former US President Joe Biden, arguing that the arrival of immigrants from Africa, the Middle East and South America had affected major American cities.
Finnerty claimed that immigrants were moving into so-called sanctuary cities, jurisdictions that limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in certain circumstances.
“They move to blue sanctuary cities, and the cities then start to look more like Nairobi than New York City,” he said.
He also compared developments in the United Kingdom and France, arguing that similar changes were happening in the United States.
However, his reference to Nairobi quickly drew criticism, with Kenyan social media users questioning why the city was used as a negative comparison in a discussion about immigration.
People featured in the segment identified themselves as being from countries including Guatemala, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mexico and Guinea. None of the individuals shown in the clip identified themselves as being from Kenya or Nairobi.
This prompted critics to question the relevance of the comparison, arguing that Finnerty had singled out the Kenyan capital without establishing a direct connection between Nairobi and the people featured in his report.
Kenyans on X Push Back
The remarks triggered a wave of reactions from Kenyans on X, formerly Twitter, as users challenged the portrayal of Nairobi and demanded an apology from the American presenter.
Some questioned the editorial judgement behind the comparison, arguing that criticism of New York's urban challenges did not require the use of an African city as a negative reference point.
Others responded by sharing photographs and videos of Nairobi's modern skyline, commercial districts, high-rise buildings and infrastructure, pushing back against what they considered an outdated or misleading stereotype of the Kenyan capital.
The online response also spread to Finnerty's social media accounts and Newsmax platforms, with users calling on him to address the remarks.
The backlash demonstrated how quickly a comment made during a domestic political debate in the United States can attract international attention when it touches on national identity, representation and long-standing perceptions of African cities.
Finnerty Issues Apology After Backlash
Finnerty had already issued a shorter apology on October 12, before publishing the more detailed statement addressed specifically to the people of Nairobi on October 13.
“Hey, I hear you loud and clear… I apologise, and I will try to do better!” he wrote in his earlier response.
The subsequent statement acknowledged Nairobi residents directly and recognised the passion they have for their city and country.
The intense online reaction also reportedly led to restrictions on Finnerty's social media presence, with claims that he made his Instagram profile private and restricted comments amid the influx of messages.
His October 13 statement marked a more explicit response to the criticism, although he did not provide a detailed explanation of why he had chosen Nairobi for the comparison.
Who Is Rob Finnerty?
Finnerty is an American television journalist and presenter who hosts the primetime programme Finnerty on Newsmax, a US-based cable news network known for its conservative political perspective.
According to Newsmax's official biography, he has more than two decades of experience in broadcast journalism. Before joining the network, he worked as an anchor and reporter at CBS affiliate WTSP in Tampa, Florida, and held broadcasting positions in Bakersfield, California, and Kansas City, Missouri.
He previously co-hosted Newsmax's morning programme Wake Up America alongside Sharla McBride before moving to the network's primetime lineup.
Newsmax announced in October 2024 that Finnerty would lead its nightly primetime programming with his own show, which focuses on American politics, current affairs and public debate.
His remarks about Nairobi emerged within a broader political discussion about immigration and the impact of immigration policies on US cities.
Why the Nairobi Comparison Sparked Outrage
At the centre of the controversy was not simply a comparison between two major cities, but the use of Nairobi as shorthand for what Finnerty described as declining urban conditions.
Critics argued that the statement reinforced a simplistic portrayal of an African capital while failing to establish why Nairobi was relevant to the people and issues being discussed.
Nairobi is a major commercial, financial and technological hub in East Africa, with a diverse urban landscape that includes modern business districts, residential neighbourhoods, informal settlements and rapidly developing infrastructure. Like other major cities around the world, it also faces challenges involving transport, housing, waste management and urban planning.
The city cannot be accurately represented by a single image or used as a blanket measure of urban decline.
The criticism also raised questions about the responsibility of television presenters to use accurate context when discussing international issues, particularly when references to other countries may rely on stereotypes rather than evidence.
While Finnerty apologised for offending people, the incident has highlighted the influence of social media in challenging how international media figures portray African countries and cities.
For many Kenyan users, the response was about more than one television comment. It was an opportunity to challenge a portrayal of Nairobi that they considered unfair and to insist that the Kenyan capital be discussed with greater context and accuracy.
Finnerty's apology may help address the immediate controversy, but the episode underscores the importance of responsible commentary when international cities and communities are invoked in domestic political debates.
