Journalist and media personality Harriet Njenga found an unexpected supporter on National Girlfriends Day when her father, James Mbugua, surprised her with a generous M-Pesa gift after she expressed feeling left out.
Father’s Support on a Special Day
On August 1, Harriet shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation with her father where she lamented not receiving any gifts on a day dedicated to celebrating women. Her message read: “Dad, today the world is celebrating all the pretty ladies and imagine I've not received any gift from anyone. I feel left out.”
Her father replied humorously, referencing her past dating experiences: “You see fruits of dating broke boys, let me send you lunch you sort yourself.” However, the "lunch" turned out to be a substantial KSh 150,200 transferred to Harriet’s M-Pesa account.
Social Media Buzz
Harriet captioned the post, “No one showed up today but my Dad did. Just a little girlfriends day lunch to appreciate his daughter.” The gesture quickly went viral, sparking a wave of reactions from Kenyans who found the story both touching and amusing.
- @fayey_wangechi: "Daddy's gurl 😍"
- @marywanjiku393: "Nikipata baba kama huyu hata siwezi date 😂😂"
- @iammumb.i85: "You are lucky at least you have a dad 😢"
- @luvlee.alma.09: "Deadbeat dad's wanathani NI Ai 😂"
- @legendmags: "Eeey Mtoto wa Tajiri 🤤🩷"
Some comments playfully noted the irony of a day meant to celebrate female friendships being marked most notably by a father’s generosity.
Background on National Girlfriends Day
Observed annually on August 1, National Girlfriends Day is an unofficial celebration intended to honour women’s friendships and sisterhood, although it has broadened to include romantic relationships.
