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Headline: Kenyan Nurse in UK Faces Deportation Backlash After Viral Video Exposes NHS Exploitation Claims

Country: United Kingdom

Date Published: November 27, 2025

In a story that's ignited fierce debates across Kenyan diaspora communities on X (formerly Twitter), Mercy Wanjiku, a Kenyan nurse based in London, has become the face of growing discontent among healthcare workers from East Africa working in the UK's National Health Service (NHS). A viral thread posted by verified Kenyan influencer @KibetKoimbok on November 27, 2025, which garnered over 15,000 retweets and 50,000 likes within hours, detailed Wanjiku's ordeal after she shared a tearful video from her hospital ward, alleging unfair treatment, unpaid overtime, and threats of deportation despite years of frontline service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wanjiku, who has lived and worked in the UK for eight years, posted the original video on November 25, 2025, from her account @MercyNurseUK, which exploded in visibility after being amplified by major Kenyan news accounts like @K24Tv and @CitizenTVKE. In the clip, viewed more than 2 million times, she described working 60-hour weeks without proper compensation, facing racial discrimination from supervisors, and receiving a deportation notice from the Home Office for a minor visa paperwork issue. "We came here to save lives, but now they're throwing us away like trash," she said, her voice breaking as colleagues nodded in solidarity behind her. The post sparked immediate outrage, with users like @DiasporaKenyan (a popular account with 100k+ followers) replying, "This is modern slavery! UK owes us for holding their health system together. #SaveMercyWanjiku #KenyansInUK."

The discussion quickly trended under hashtags #SaveMercyWanjiku and #NHSExploitsKenyans, pulling in thousands of comments from Kenyans abroad and back home. Positive voices highlighted Wanjiku's achievements, such as her recognition in 2021 as an "NHS Hero" for treating over 500 COVID patients, with @UKKenyans sharing screenshots of her commendation letters. Community organizer @KenyaUKSolidarity organized an online petition that surpassed 20,000 signatures by December 1, calling for an investigation into visa practices for migrant workers. Influencers praised her resilience, with one thread from @DrMikeMukula (a Ugandan doctor in the UK) noting, "Mercy represents thousands of us Africans keeping the NHS afloat—salaries stagnant, workloads tripled post-Brexit."

However, the story took a controversial turn as skeptics and UK-based trolls piled on, accusing Wanjiku of exaggerating for clout or even fabricating the deportation notice. A counter-thread by @BritishNHSFacts, claiming to be an NHS insider, alleged on November 28 that Wanjiku had multiple warnings for absenteeism and that Kenyan nurses often "game the system" for indefinite leave to remain. This fueled divisive exchanges, with Kenyan users clapping back: "Y'all built your empire on our ancestors' backs, now cry when we demand fair pay? #Hypocrites." Regular users shared similar stories, like @JaneFromNairobiInLondon recounting her own deportation fight after 12 years as a carer, while @USAKenyanWatch linked it to broader U.S. issues, saying, "Same script in America—work us to death, then deport."

The backlash has broader implications for the 300,000+ strong Kenyan diaspora in the UK, the largest outside Africa. Remittances from UK Kenyans hit £500 million last year, per World Bank data cited in X discussions, yet post-Brexit visa crackdowns have led to a 15% rise in deportation appeals, according to @MigrationWatchUK stats reshared widely. Labour MP @AfuaHirsch retweeted support for Wanjiku on November 29, urging Home Secretary review, while Kenyan MP @OpiyoWandayi posted from Nairobi: "Our people abroad are our pride—govt must intervene diplomatically." Protests were announced for December 5 outside the Kenyan High Commission in London, with live updates promised under #KenyansUnite.

As the saga unfolds, Wanjiku updated her profile on November 30, thanking supporters and vowing to fight legally with help from diaspora lawyers. The X frenzy underscores a dual narrative: celebration of Kenyan grit in global hustles juxtaposed against systemic exploitation and xenophobia. While some hail her as a hero sparking reform, others warn of "victim mentality" damaging diaspora rep. With the UK election looming, this could amplify calls for migrant worker protections. For now, #SaveMercyWanjiku remains a top Kenyan trend, blending triumph, tragedy, and urgent calls for justice.

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