“Ask me anything you want to know about the Somalis” Kenyans ask hilarious questions as debate rages

NAIROBI—A Facebook user of Somali origin has tasked Kenyans to express their feelings about the Somali Community in Kenya.

The “window of knowledge” as one user termed it, was opened by blogger Simba Hasheem who invited other Kenyan communities to ask their Somali counterparts about what they badly want to know about the community.

“Fellow Kenyans, ask me anything you want to know about Worrias. I shall answer them. Matusi hatutaki (We don’t want insults,” Hasheem posted.

Hasheem opened the debate at the height of intense competition online between the Somalis, both in Kenya and Somalia, against the other Kenya communities on which country has the best of everything under the sun from former presidents, police force and celebrities.

John Muchiri recounted how he was once duped to believe that a Kikuyu word meant greetings in the Somali language.

Woria or Waria is a word used to describe the Somalis by other communities. The correct word is “Waria” which means “Boy or youngman.”

Cindy wanted to understand whether a man would be forced to wear a long robe if he married a Muslim woman. Other users informed her that the robe was a traditional piece of cloth originally by the Arabs and that it depicts nothing more than its purpose of covering the body of the wearer.

Carlyn wondered why Somali men actually avoid innerwears. Abdinoor, a Somali informed her that his clansmen in towns and cities put on the underwears.

“Those in towns put it on. Maybe those who herd camels,” he replied.

Most of those who commented on the post apprecited Hasheem for initiating the conversation, saying they learnt more about the community which sufferes for the crime committed by the militant group, Al Shabab.