German Ambassador to Kenya, Mr Sebastian Groth, is all the rave on Twitter after he tweeted a few Kikuyu words that he learned while drinking Madafu(Coconut water) in Nairobi.
Last week, the envoy was on his way to a meeting within the Kenyan capital when he made a brief stop in Parklands area. There, he found a roadside trader selling Madafu on a Mkokoteni(handcart) and bought the refreshment from him.
Amb Groth would later take to Twitter to recount his encounter with the trader he identified as Peter.
Tweeting in a mixture of English and Swahili, the Ambassador said Peter taught him a few words in the vernacular Kikuyu language.
“On the way to next meeting brief stop at duka la madafu. What a taste, ilikuwa tamu sana. Boss ya duka ni Peter na anasema: madafu ni mazuri sana kwa kidney,” Amb. Groth tweeted.
He added: “And taught me some Kikuyu, sounded like: Nī ngatho mūno (…)”
Nī ngatho mūno means Thank you very much.
This was just one instance where Amb. Groth has endeared himself to Kenyans on Twitter(KOT), who I must say are difficult to please.
Some have been praising him for his mastery of Swahili while others have been left impressed by his down-to-earth nature.
Others were stunned that there exists Madafu in Nairobi given that coconuts are a preserve of the Coastal region.
The envoy insists he is the admin of his official Twitter, although he had a little help tweeting the Kikuyu words. This he revealed in several engagements with Kenyans on Twitter.
Check out the tweets below.
On the way to next meeting brief stop at duka la madafu. What a taste, ilikuwa tamu sana🌴🥥. Boss ya duka ni Peter na anasema: madafu ni mazuri sana kwa kidney 💪🏽💪. And taught me some kikuyu, sounded like: nī ngatho mūno (…) pic.twitter.com/mhYonBjG9A
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 25, 2023
Bei rahisi sana
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) February 2, 2023
Iko Nairobi, Parklands.
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 25, 2023
Thx but that’s a bit too much.
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 25, 2023
Ndio, iko Parklands
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 25, 2023
Hapana, mimi ni admin. Lakini nikona marafiki kutoka kwa kikuyu…
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 26, 2023
Got a little help from an embassy colleague.
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 25, 2023
Nipee kazi, mkuu.
— Enock Bett (@ThisIsBett) January 25, 2023
Nī ngaatho- Danke!🤗
— Nicholas Kaguiri Wah (@KaguiriWah) January 25, 2023
😂 😂 Am the only one reading this with that mizungu tone?
— Chemphil The Brand (@Bamphill) January 25, 2023
I don’t know why I always read these tweets with a muzungu accent 😂
— MikL (@mike_mylas) February 1, 2023
By the way German and Kikuyu languages have some similarities
— david macharia (@davidma82058845) January 25, 2023
Very Impressive .
— Mr X (@RingoNbi) February 1, 2023
I like the way you connect with Kenyans!
— Francis Mageto (@FrancisMageto1) January 25, 2023
Hands up if you read this tweet in the mzungu-swahili-stammerlike accent.
— Kiilu, C.N (@CharlesNdeti) January 25, 2023
I like the way you embrace our local ways Ambassador. 🙂
— sam opar (@OparSam) January 25, 2023
Your interaction with locals is on another level. Amazing
— Global Brand (@Samuel82989309) January 25, 2023
I met this guy and he is so humble and the wife is such a beautiful soul. Bless you sir
— kefa mecha (@mechakefa2) January 26, 2023
🤣You’ve already won “THE AMB OR THE YEAR AWARD” AOYA
Uniite sherehe! 🥳— Muteti J Munyoki (@MutetiMunyoki) January 25, 2023
Bwana Balozi, I admire your humility and down to earth nature, setting diplomatic relations bar quite high
— The Phoenix (@richiewachira) January 25, 2023
I have not met a warm diplomat like you. Those others come here to criticize the government and paint a negative picture of our country. You are just amazing. Hope Olaf Scholz will retain you in Kenya till you retire. Na ukuje Isiolo nikupee shamba na bibi.
— Arume Ti Banyakwe (@RealMeru1) January 26, 2023
Cheers Ambassador.Such a down-to-earth Ambassador,with big heart for promoting small Kenyan businesses people & their hustles.Great gesture and worth my follow.
— David M.Kinoti (@DavidMungatia) January 25, 2023
Leo nilinunua samani katika Ngong Rd. Tough negotiations but at the end everybody was happy. Always impressed to see the quality of 🇰🇪 craftsmen. pic.twitter.com/uqDTM7vHBq
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 3, 2023
Samani/ viti/ sofa zimeingia nyumbani leo. Asante kwa kazi nzuri sana! Looks nice – si ndio? And soon nitakula samaki @ Ngong Rd 🐠🐟 pic.twitter.com/ZHB4dfvH6p
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 10, 2023
Je, nina swali sasa: is there an issue when your tortoise looks more intelligent than your mbwa si mkali? pic.twitter.com/ZfzNGokAcG
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 22, 2023
One of the many reasons why #Nairobi is such a fantastic place. The sun, the light, the fresh mornings. Siku njema sana! pic.twitter.com/5hUY1IPqiT
— Amb Sebastian Groth 🇩🇪🇪🇺 (@Diplo_Jazz) January 28, 2023
