Kenya, May 13 -- William Kabogo, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, has become the subject of many funny memes on X, as people joke about his lack of technology knowledge.
This online buzz started on May 12, 2025, when a photo of Kabogo wearing unusual clothes-khaki pants, striped socks, and safari boots-made people laugh and comment on how he handles technology issues.
The memes are spreading quickly across Kenyan social media. Many people are making jokes that show Kabogo as not understanding modern technology.
Some posts create funny situations about how he might respond to tech problems.
One popular post by @chel0goi joked, "Admin: We are facing a DDOS attack. Kabogo: Call Soipan to bring the military," suggesting that Kabogo would ask the Defense Ministry to deal with a cyber issue.
Another user, @nchoro_, said, "Confirmed: Kabogo, the ICT CS, doesn't even know how to use MS Word," sharing a meme of a confused-looking Kabogo.
Other jokes mentioned him mixing up tech words like "Chrome" with "Muratina" (a local drink) or confusing a computer mouse with a real rat.
Kabogo, who took the ICT job in January 2025, responded to the teasing with humour.
On May 13, he posted on X, "I'm enjoying it. If no one makes jokes like this, you should be very worried," and some people praised him for being light-hearted.
However, these memes have raised questions about whether he is the right person for this important tech role, especially since he doesn't have much formal experience in ICT.
During his vetting, he talked about his success in using technology to collect money when he was Governor of Kiambu, but critics think that's not enough to lead Kenya's digital progress.
The online jokes reflect a growing frustration among young Kenyans who are knowledgeable about technology.
They see Kabogo's appointment as a sign of bigger problems with President William Ruto's choices for his Cabinet.
Posts on X, like one from @Teddykimany saying, "You said Kabogo is outdated; send him back to 1990," show that many believe the ICT Ministry should have a leader who understands technology well.
Techish Kenya mentioned that these memes are a way for people to use humor to question the government's ability in a field that is very important for the country's future.
While Kabogo has promised to improve digital infrastructure and manage social media properly, the meme situation shows the challenges he faces in gaining support from a tech-savvy public.
As the jokes keep circulating online, this incident has started discussions about whether public figures should be judged based on their knowledge of digital technology today, especially since memes can act as a way for people to express their opinions on public issues.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.