Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala has addressed why he did not take part in a proposed race against American streamer IShowSpeed during the YouTuber’s recent tour of Nairobi.
Speaking on Monday, January 12, he explained that, unlike influencers whose careers are not dependent on physical performance, his livelihood is tied entirely to his ability to compete, stay healthy, and deliver results on the track.
Omanyala stressed that risking injury in an informal race would have serious consequences for his career and contractual obligations.
"I'm not an influencer, man. I do this for money, and I have big companies like Adidas and Toyota. These guys are paying me because of running. For Speed, after that run, God forbid he gets an injury, he still continues with the streams, even with crutches.
"But for me, what happens? You know, I need to earn from running, so that's why I need to cover my bases," he explained.
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Elsewhere, this comes a day after a member of IShowSpeed’s production team was hospitalized in Nairobi after sustaining an injury while working on the influencer’s livestream tour in the city.
In a statement on Sunday, January 11, Samuel Slipz explained that the injury was the result of pushing himself physically while carrying out demanding production tasks during the Nairobi stream.
"I sustained a pretty bad nerve/disc injury while pushing myself very hard to execute the rally car and helicopter segment of today’s stream from my production side, which ultimately went very well and the team and myself are very proud of how we pulled it off," he said.
Slipz further clarified that although his on-camera presence may be limited in the coming days due to the injury, he remains actively involved in ensuring the livestreams continue as planned.
"You may not see me much tomorrow or the next day but I assure you I am still around and working to execute all of Speed's livestreams just as I would if I was at 100%. I’m just a lil handicapped physically temporarily. The goal is to show the world. Nothing stops us," he added.
IShowSpeed was in Kenya for two days.
Streaming live throughout the day on Sunday, January 11, Speed’s broadcast peaked at over eight million viewers worldwide, gaining more than 360,000 new subscribers.
One of his first stops was Carnivore Restaurant in Lang’ata, where he sampled a variety of local dishes and interacted with excited fans.
His tour continued with an adrenaline-filled bus ride to the Mukuru Kwa Njenga affordable housing project, where he met Gen Z Goliath and joined a basketball session.
At Upper Hill School, the streamer shifted focus to sports, linking up with Olympic javelin champion Julius Yego for a throwing session before taking part in a rugby match with the school team.
He later tried his hand at preparing traditional Kenyan foods, including ugali and chapati.
The American content creator also explored Nairobi’s iconic landmarks, visiting Giraffe Centre, Nairobi National Park and Uhuru Park, where he rode a camel.
At Kenyatta Market, he enjoyed nyama choma and was presented with portraits by local artists.
His city tour also included a chauffeured drive by rally driver Ishmael Azeli to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, before the day concluded with a scenic helicopter ride offering aerial views of the city.
On Monday, IShowSpeed was at the Maasai Mara National Park for a safari, after which he visited a Maasai village a few kilometres from the park.
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