National broadcaster NTV has come under fire after one of its entertainment segments, BuzzNTeenz, was accused of “mocking” and “belittling” environmental activist Truphena Muthoni’s historic 72-hour tree-hugging world-record feat, forcing the station to delete the controversial video.
The clip, shared across NTV’s social media platforms, carried the caption:
“Clout or support? Kenyans split after Governor Kahiga joins Nyeri residents cheering Truphena Muthoni’s 72-hour tree-hug attempt.”
But it was the remarks from one of the BuzzNTeenz hosts that angered thousands online.
“Honestly I feel this is joy riding… The least you could have done is ask this girl what she has studied so you can offer her a job. But things like these—hugging a tree—are what excite leaders,” she said during the broadcast.
She did not stop there.
“Leader mzima anaenda kupigwa picha aki support mtoto ana hug mti… leader mzima! Badala asupport huyu mtoto kupata kazi,” the host added, dismissing the environmental effort as misplaced excitement by political leaders.
The segment went on to describe Muthoni’s environmental awareness campaign as nothing more than a “hard hug for fame,” a phrase that triggered widespread outrage from environmentalists, youth groups, Nyeri residents and ordinary Kenyans who saw it as an attack on a young woman’s legitimate activism.
Public Outrage Forces Rapid Retraction
Within hours, the backlash had escalated, with Kenyans accusing the station of minimizing a globally recognised environmental attempt. Hashtags calling for an apology trended on X (formerly Twitter), with many arguing that Muthoni deserved celebration, not ridicule.
Facing mounting pressure, NTV silently pulled down the video from all platforms late Wednesday, though the station is yet to issue a formal apology by press time.
Truphena Muthoni Makes History
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Truphena Muthoni has been celebrated across the country after successfully completing a 72-hour continuous tree-hugging challenge in Nyeri, setting a new world record and surpassing her own 48-hour milestone set in February.
Her effort, she said earlier, was aimed at drawing attention to environmental protection and reforestation, particularly among young people.
What was meant to be a national moment of pride has now ignited a broader conversation about media responsibility, youth activism, and the respect society accords to emerging environmental champions.
