Skai Jackson apologises after her remarks that Kenyans don’t know how they look like
By Katemarthason Okudo, July 20, 2026American actress Skai Jackson has apologised for the remarks she made about Kenya, saying her comments were based on what she experienced while visiting a small village and were never meant to describe the entire country.
In a video shared on social media on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the actress said she regretted how her earlier comments had been received and stressed that she meant no disrespect to Kenyans.
In the viral clip, Skai recalled visiting Kenya and claimed that mirrors were expensive, adding that many children she met had never seen their own reflections until they looked at her phone.
Jackson explained that she visited Kenya in 2018 and spent time in a small village where teachers and children shared their experiences with her. She said she later realised that her words had been interpreted as a general statement about the country.
Actress says she meant no disrespect
Addressing the controversy, Jackson said she genuinely enjoyed her visit to Kenya and hoped people would understand the context of her earlier remarks. “I wanted to apologise for my conversation when I was talking about my trip to Kenya. I did not mean any disrespect by it. I went back in 2018, and I did go to a very tiny village,” she said.
She added that the information she shared came from conversations she had with teachers and children during the visit. “I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. I really, really enjoyed my time in Kenya. I truly loved my experience, and I was not being funny,” she stated.
Jackson also asked Kenyans to forgive her, saying she would never intentionally make comments that would offend people. “I just wanted to apologise. I hope you guys forgive me. I would never be disrespectful or just say anything that’s crazy because I’m not that type of person,” she added.
Apology receives mixed reactions
Despite the apology, reactions online have remained divided.
While some social media users welcomed her clarification and accepted that she was referring to a specific village she visited, others maintained that public figures should be more careful when making comments about other countries.
The discussion has also renewed conversations about the importance of avoiding stereotypes when speaking about African countries, with many pointing out that one experience cannot represent an entire nation.
What sparked the backlash
Jackson’s apology comes days after she faced criticism over remarks she made while reflecting on her trip to Kenya.
Speaking about the visit, she had said: “When I went to Kenya, I realised that mirrors are very expensive, so a lot of people don’t know what they look like. But they aren’t insecure about themselves. A lot of the children had never seen their own reflections, so when they saw themselves on my phone, they were very excited and happy.”
The comments quickly attracted widespread criticism from many Kenyans online, with some saying they painted an inaccurate picture of the country. Others argued that while Jackson may have been describing her experience in one community, her words appeared to generalise the entire country, prompting the actress to issue a public apology.