Singer and entrepreneur Akothee has once again found herself at the centre of a heated online debate following her appearance at the Piny Luo Festival held over the weekend.
The self-proclaimed President of Single Mothers was among the headline performers at the culturally rich event, where she delivered an energetic and crowd-pleasing performance that had revelers singing along and dancing late into the night.
However, even as fans on the ground praised her stage presence and hit-packed set, her choice of outfit quickly became the main talking point on social media.
Photos and videos shared online showed Akothee dressed in skimpy black booty shorts that exposed large portions of her skin.
The outfit did not sit well with a section of netizens, who took to social media to vent their anger, accusing the singer of dressing inappropriately for a cultural festival.
“This is a cultural event, not a nightclub. Some decency is expected,” one irate netizen commented.
Another wrote;
“Akothee is talented, but this dressing is disrespectful to Luo culture. There are elders and children at such events.”
Others questioned why she would choose such an outfit despite knowing the nature of the festival.
“Why can’t she just dress appropriately for once? Piny Luo is about culture, not showing skin,” read another comment that gained traction online.
Some even compared the incident to her previous controversies, saying she never learns from criticism.
However, the backlash was met with equally strong support from her fans, who dismissed the criticism as unnecessary body-shaming.
“She was invited to perform as an artist, not as a cultural custodian. Let her dress how she wants,” a supporter argued.
Another added,
“People enjoyed the show live, but online moral police are the loudest.”
This is not the first time Akothee has faced intense scrutiny over her dressing.
Weeks ago, she was trolled after attending the Devolution Conference held in Homabay County while dressed in what critics described as a revealing outfit, sparking a similar nationwide debate on decency and public conduct.
Despite the recurring criticism, Akothee has remained defiant.
In past responses to trolls, the outspoken singer has made it clear that she does not consider herself anyone’s role model and refuses to be boxed into societal expectations.
“I am nobody’s role model,” she has previously stated, maintaining that people should stop projecting their values onto her and instead focus on their own lives.
As reactions continue to pour in, Akothee appears unbothered, choosing to focus on her performance, brand, and unapologetic self-expression.
Love her or loathe her, Akothee once again proved that she knows exactly how to command attention and keep netizens talking long after the music stops.
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