The media in Kenya distorted the success of Somali businesses, they talk about piracy, but I say it is a mere stereotype.

As usual the smearing campaign against Somali businesses and properties in Kenya continues unabated, with the local media shamefully spreading stereotype stories, propaganda and prejudice aimed at misleading the public.

Out of ignorance or even hatred, Kenyan national dailies have been working on fictions especially on the issue of piracy with claims that the mushrooming Somali properties and businesses in Kenya are funded by pirates.

The Western media have taken the same path, packaging information with heavy claims against a community whose businesses largely relies on trustworthiness, sheer determination and hard work.
The smearing campaigns are so bold that the security of the Somali businesses is jeopardized. With little or no understanding of the Somali community, the media is circulating a new demon they call “The Illegal Somali Business".

A stereotype common to media thoughts, portrays Somalis as a filthy community. Reporters who cover the piracy world often know very little details about it. The media then develops a distorted image of the Wealthy Somali Community.

In Kenya, both the Daily Nation and the Standard are creating inaccurate ideas about the Somali businesses. Their ignorance on how Somalis handle investments is clearly expressed on how they have failed to show the History of the Somali merchandise.

They failed to identify that the Somali economy is a global empire, not only in Africa but in Americas and Europe. Piracy actively started in 2006 but the Somali business was booming before at an impressive pace.

This ignorance that the media accumulates about the wealth of Somalis also includes manipulation, purposely because of biased feelings, by the media to present a negative image about the community.

Somalis are naturally aggressive when it comes to business; most of their businesses are built on cooperation with unwritten agreements because trustworthy is the cornerstone of the Community’s trading activities.

But, the true side of success stories most often does not correspond to the media’s reports. As Somali business empire grows more and more, the biased media in Kenya and in the West will eventually learn the truth and find out that these negative stereotypes are incorrect.

Piracy will stop anytime soon, but the Somali businesses will never collapse.