American actress and former Disney Channel star Skai Jackson has come under criticism after comments she made about a past visit to Kenya went viral on social media, prompting widespread reactions from Kenyans who disputed her portrayal of the country.

Speaking during an appearance at Streamer University, Jackson recounted an experience she said she had while visiting Kenya, claiming that mirrors were “very expensive” and that some children she met had never seen their own reflections until they looked at her mobile phone. A video of the remarks has since circulated widely across social media platforms.

“When I went to Kenya, I realized that mirrors are very expensive, so a lot of people don’t know what they look like,” Jackson said in the viral clip.

The remarks triggered an immediate backlash from many Kenyan social media users, who argued that the comments presented an inaccurate and overly broad description of the country. Many noted that while poverty exists in some communities, mirrors are common household items across Kenya and that Jackson’s account should not be interpreted as representative of the country as a whole.

Among those who responded publicly was Kenyan media personality Amina Abdi Rabar, who criticised the actress for generalising from what may have been a limited personal experience.

“Why would you come for poverty tourism… and then paint it as though the whole population lives like this? That is quite unfortunate,” Amina said in a video shared on her social media platforms.

Amina argued that isolated encounters should not be used to define an entire nation, adding that Kenya is home to diverse communities with varying social and economic conditions.

The controversy has since evolved into a broader discussion about how African countries are portrayed by international celebrities and content creators. Many online users stressed the importance of providing context when recounting personal experiences, warning that sweeping statements can reinforce stereotypes about entire populations.

Others suggested Jackson may have been describing a specific community she visited rather than making a deliberate statement about all of Kenya. However, critics maintained that the wording of her remarks implied a broader claim that many viewers interpreted as applying to the country generally.

Skai Jackson went ahead and  issued a clarification, correction and apology regarding the comments. She stated that she did not mean any disrespect with the comments and clarified that she was not talking about Kenya as a whole but a small remote village that she and others had visited.