A Nairobi man has caused a heated debate online after claiming that he and his friends left several women behind in Malindi after attending the Summer Tides Festival.
In a video recorded while driving back to Nairobi, the man said only he and his four friends were in their seven-seater vehicle. He explained that the car had been full on the journey to Malindi because they had travelled with the women, but they decided to leave them behind before returning home.
The man said the women would have to find their own way back to Nairobi. He added that those with enough money could organise their own transport, while those without money would have to ask for help or find another solution. He even told the women’s boyfriends to send them fare or travel to Malindi to pick them up.
According to the man, he did not regret his decision because he believed the women had disrespected him after he paid for the trip. He insisted that everyone involved was an adult who had agreed to travel together, saying that their behaviour made him decide to leave them behind. His friends appeared to support his comments as they nodded during the video.
The incident happened after the Summer Tides Festival, a popular beach event held at Lost Beach in Malindi, Kilifi County, from July 2 to July 4. The festival attracted thousands of visitors from different parts of Kenya, boosting business for hotels, Airbnbs, villas, restaurants and other tourism businesses in the town.
The video quickly spread across social media, attracting mixed reactions from Kenyans. Some people criticised the man’s actions, saying it was irresponsible to abandon the women far from home. Others defended him, arguing that the women were adults capable of making their own decisions and arranging transport. Many social media users also made jokes about the situation, making the incident one of the most discussed topics online.