KENYAN content creator Elsa Majimbo has sparked a controversial debate on social media after a video of her addressing the issue of “black tax” went viral.
The award-winning comedian shared her unfiltered thoughts about how many African households expect someone to help them financially once they have made it in life.
“Sending money back home or to your extended family is such a common African practice that I absolutely hate. I saw my dad doing it and I don’t even know any of my extended family.
“I saw him do it with his brothers, his sisters, his grandparents and parents. Everyone in the family as long as you have a job, they expect you to share that money accordingly, and that is something I will not be participating in,” she said.
“‘My kids are starving’, yeah they’re starving because you’re f***** lazy, get off your ass, get a job and feed your kids,” she added.
That line raised many concerns, with most people saying her delivery was off because it’s not that most poor people are lazy, some are underpaid.
@elsa.majimbo ♬ original sound - Elsa Majimbo
“No one should be entitled to someone else’s earnings. I do believe setting a firm boundary in that regard is necessary but let’s also refrain from calling the less fortunate, ‘lazy’, not every ‘poor’ person is lazy. That’s quite ignorant of her and very demeaning,” said @yourfavbekki.
@sia_tee added: “Delivery is rather harsh and I don’t agree with everything she’s said. However, some of these people are leeches. If you let them, they would feed from you, your children and your grandchildren.”
Most people agree that while the topic of “black tax” is important, those who are privileged must understand that the difference between them and those they deem less than is an opportunity.
They added that she must understand that some people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds feel obligated to uplift their families.
“‘You're too lazy to be alive. I will let you starve’. It's as if she has traded her humanity for money.
“People like her choose to overlook the fact that it was the hard work and sacrifices of the very extended family she now looks down on that enabled her father to move abroad,” commented @wabalengele.
Meanwhile, Majimbo remains unfazed, choosing to focus on becoming rich.