How men with female surnames are standing up to ridicule in Kenya
Children often inherit their father's first name as a surname, but traditions are changing and causing upset.
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"Why give somebody credit where it does not exist?"
— Simon Macharia Wangũi , Influencer
"People perceive you as undisciplined, especially when you are raised by a single mother."
— Evans Kibe Waceke , Influencer
"Do you know how embarrassing it is for a boy to be called out, in a room full of kids, [with] a girl's name?"
— Fred Mũitĩrĩri , Celebrity
Key People
A broadcaster who bears a female surname and comments on societal perceptions.
A TV personality who discussed the challenges of having a female surname.
A member of parliament known for having a female surname.
A Kenyan musician known for choosing his mother's name as his stage name.
A motivational speaker who criticized the trend of male surnames.
He chose his mother's name as his official surname.
A Kikuyu cultural expert with a large social media following.
Locations
All Coverage
Children often inherit their father's first name as a surname, but traditions are changing and causing upset.
Similar Stories
Related coverage based on topic and tags
Questions remain over Ebola patient who travelled across three nations undetected
Fresh details reveal how the 40-year-old businessman flew and crossed regional borders while seriously ill.
October 10, 2026 at 12:00 AMKenya says tests on suspected Ebola case come back negative - Reuters
Kenya says tests on suspected Ebola case come back negative Reuters
October 8, 2026 at 07:54 PMHow boxing inspired a play about men's mental health
The play explores losing a sense of purpose, the difficulty some men have talking about their mental health and the support they can find in each other.
October 8, 2026 at 05:25 AMTen people linked to Kenya's first-ever Ebola case quarantined as screening concerns grow
The patient passed through multiple cities in DR Congo, drove to Uganda and eventually flew to Kenya.
October 7, 2026 at 12:46 PMKenya must be 'clean' to be credible, says Wada chief
Wada president Witold Banka says Kenya must strengthen testing, investigations and anti-doping enforcement before hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships.
October 7, 2026 at 10:42 AMKenya confirms its first Ebola death as outbreak spreads
The patient had been living in DR Congo, where more than 4,000 people have died from the disease this year.
October 6, 2026 at 11:51 AM