2Mbili blasts Uganda and Tanzania after IShowSpeed skips them

American YouTube superstar IShowSpeed has wrapped up a chaotic, headline-grabbing two-day stop in Kenya as part of his Speed Does Africa tour—but not everyone is celebrating.

As Nairobi basked in viral moments and record-breaking numbers, Kenyan comedian and content creator 2Mbili ignited a heated regional debate, questioning why Tanzania and Uganda were completely skipped on the influencer’s African run.

And according to him, the reason is simple—and controversial: English.

“English Cost You Speed” — 2Mbili Fires Shots at Tanzania

In a now-circulating clip, 2Mbili claimed Tanzania missed out on hosting the global streamer because of language barriers.

According to the comedian, while Tanzania has world-class attractions Speed would have loved, the need for translators made it a no-go.

“Kenya sisi tulichaguliwa kwa sababu sisi ni number two English-speaking country in Africa,” 2Mbili declared.

He went further, accusing Tanzanians of deliberately resisting English over the years—and paying the price now.

“You’ve had enough time to learn English, but you refused. Now it has cost you IShowSpeed,” he said.

2Mbili even mocked claims that many Tanzanians don’t recognize the streamer’s name, allegedly confusing his famous “Siuuu!” chant for his identity.

Uganda Didn’t Escape Either

Not stopping at Tanzania, 2Mbili turned his fire on Uganda, arguing that accent issues kept the country off Speed’s itinerary.

He pointed out that despite Uganda’s population of over 40 million, only one Ugandan creator—Tengetenge—managed to meet Speed, and that meeting happened in Kenya.

“Uganda, your accent also cost you,” he said bluntly.

According to 2Mbili, Speed deliberately chose countries with “good English and good accents,” a criterion he claims also ruled out several North African nations, including Morocco.

Kenya’s Stop: Numbers, Nyama Choma and National Attention

While neighbours watched from the sidelines, Kenya enjoyed the full Speed experience.

IShowSpeed—real name Darren Jason Watkins Jr.—hit a massive milestone while in Nairobi, surpassing 48 million YouTube subscribers, gaining over 360,000 new followers in a single livestream.

The visit was so big it earned a personal video welcome from President William Ruto, who described Kenya as a “home” for visitors.

Speed’s tour delivered viral moments galore—from paying KSh 20,000 for a KSh 3,000 shirt at Kenyatta Market to sampling nyama choma. The downside? Massive crowds that brought parts of Nairobi to a standstill, stretching security teams to the limit.

The Orange Economy Wins

Despite the chaos, the tour is being hailed as a major win for Kenya’s digital and creative economy, with analysts pointing to the global exposure and monetisation potential.

As Speed moved on to Ethiopia, the debate he left behind continued to rage.

For 2Mbili, the lesson to Kenya’s neighbours is blunt and unapologetic:

Learn English—or keep missing out.

Whether fair or foul, his comments have ensured one thing: Speed Does Africa has sparked more than just viral clips—it’s triggered a regional conversation no one saw coming.