A 35‑Second Clip That Sparked Outrage
On August 17, 2025, a popular Nakuru nightclub called Space Next Door posted a 35-second promotional video on Instagram and TikTok. It featured female staff dressed in revealing schoolgirl-style outfits sweaters, blouses, and short checked skirts dancing to the hit song Kum Baba by Kenyan rap crew Wakadinali. What might have been intended as playful themed marketing instead ignited widespread criticism where the public termed it as “crossing the line” and accused the nightclub of sexualizing school attire and normalizing child indecency. Many pointed out the timing of the video is very wrong as schools are on holiday and this indicates that the club was trying to lure impressionable students.
Public political figure Hon Gathoni Wamuchomba sharply criticized the nightclub, arguing that using school uniforms in that manner dangerously normalizes child sexualization. She warned that such imagery blurs the boundary between childhood innocence and adult objectification, potentially fueling predatory fantasies as she urged authorities to act swiftly as she said….,
This indirectly sexualises and objectifies the image of prepubescent children, giving predators a field day
The Club’s Response—Defense and Apology
The club was quick to offer a response to the dresscode as they attempted to justify the concept by explaining that the video was part of a regular “themed night” series featuring costumes like nurse scrubs, mechanic overalls, and chef attire. They emphasized that the intention was to celebrate everyday professions, not to offend. The put out a brief statement on their social media pages where it read:
We would like to clarify that at no point do we promote or endorse any of the claims being associated with this video… the timing of its release was unfortunate given the current situation in the country
They continued to issue an apology for the “negative misinterpretation” and promised to uphold “professionalism, creativity and community connection” in the future.
Why This Hits a Sensitive Nerve
It is important to note that School uniforms in Kenya symbolize innocence, education, and youth. Their use in adult entertainment settings is jarring and it conflates childhood imagery with adult fantasy, muddying moral boundaries. Given recent struggles with child exploitation, the backlash isn’t surprising. While themed promotions can be creative, this case underscores the importance of cultural mindfulness. Marketing that trivializes or sexualizes minors even symbolically can quickly backfire and provoke backlash.
This puts out a lesson to marketers and promoters to avoid using child-related symbols for adult entertainment, even in jest as symbols really matter because what may feel harmless internally could be deeply troubling to broader audiences.
Marketers should also include diverse perspectives when approving campaigns as what seems humorous to one group may be offensive to another.
Conclusion
Space Next Door’s promotional attempt to dress-up as a light-hearted theme has become a lesson in cultural sensitivity and the perils of provocative marketing. The response serves as a potent reminder: creative expression must be balanced with ethical awareness
