January 24, 2023
Kenya: No, Scam Facebook Group 'Hon Rachel Chebet Loans' Not Run By Kenya's First Lady
IN SHORT: Rachel Ruto, the wife of Kenyan president William Ruto, is involved in several social projects. But lurking on Facebook, dispensing loans, is not one of them. Read more »
January 23, 2023
Nigeria: Influencer Makes Misleading Claims About Presidential Candidates' Promises to Vote-Rich Northern Nigeria
A Twitter influencer compared the promises supposedly made by the three presidential frontrunners to northern Nigerians ahead of the 2023 election. We checked his claims. Read more »
January 19, 2023
Kenya: No, the Teachers Service Commission - Kenya's Largest Public Employer - Hasn't Appointed a New Boss
IN SHORT: The leadership of the Teachers Service Commission, one of Kenya's 10 constitutional commissions, is keenly watched. A claim that the agency has a new chief is false. Read more »
Nigeria: Dangote Didn't Profess Eternal Gratitude to Ruling Party Candidate Tinubu for Helping Him 'Set Up' U.S.$20bn Oil Refinery
IN SHORT: In elections in Africa, as across the world, money makes a difference. Having infinite resources would give a candidate an edge. But a quote allegedly by Nigerian… Read more »
Nigeria: No Evidence Nigeria's Benue State Governor Said He Withheld Workers' Pay Over Holidays to Stop Them Getting Drunk
IN SHORT: As Nigeria's elections near, politicians continue to be falsely quoted. One jarring statement attributed to governor Samuel Ortom is false. Read more »
January 18, 2023
Uganda: Beware Facebook Account Abusing Name of Uganda's Deputy Prisons Chief
IN SHORT: Five months after Samuel Akena was appointed as the new deputy commissioner general of prisons, a Facebook account with his name popped up. But it's not his. Read more »
Kenya: Ignore Scam Facebook Page Impersonating Governor of Kenya's Uasin Gishu County
IN SHORT: A Facebook page using county governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim's name offers low interest loans and free motorcycles. Don't fall for it. Read more »
Kenya: Fact-Checking Kenyan President Ruto's First Roundtable With Journalists
A few months into his first term, William Ruto discussed his administration with the media. But did he get his facts right? Read more »
Nigeria: No Nigeria, No Evidence Controversial Chair of Lagos Parks and Garages Said 'Non-Indigenes' Should Leave Lagos State If Ruling Party Loses the Governorship Election
IN SHORT: Nigerian social media is awash with fake quotes and misinformation ahead of the country's February 2023 elections. But if a quote is published with no details of when and… Read more »
January 12, 2023
Nigeria: Chair of Nigeria's Governing APC Party Said Country Needs No Transformation? No Evidence for Quote
IN SHORT: Outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari recently said Nigeria would see "overwhelming transformation" if his APC party's candidate was elected as his successor. That's at… Read more »
Kenya: Eighty Percent of Kiambu County Assembly Members 'Illiterate'? No, Viral Graphic Quoting Kenyan Governor Fake
IN SHORT: A poorly written quote in which Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi appears to rail against his opponents in the county assembly, calling them "illiterate", is entirely made… Read more »
January 11, 2023
Nigeria: Nigeria's Info Minister Said Voters Only Interested in Freebies From Politicians? No Evidence for Quote
IN SHORT: A quote that has information minister Lai Mohammed saying Nigerian voters are only interested in handouts, and not in the governing party's record, is false. Read more »
Nigeria: No Evidence Nigeria's Governing APC Party Plans to Deny Northerners Access to Internet and Radio After Former President Backed Rival
IN SHORT: Nigeria's influential former president Olusegun Obasanjo has backed Peter Obi as his preferred presidential candidate in the upcoming elections. Now a false quote… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Nigerian Presidential Candidate Bola Tinubu Didn't Say He Would Tell Electoral Commission to Stop Giving Out Voters' Cards
IN SHORT: Upcoming general elections in Nigeria have led to a rise in misinformation circulating in the country, including fabricated quotes made to look like they are from… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Governing APC Party Chair Adamu Didn't Say Electoral Commission Can't Stop Underage Voting
IN SHORT: There is zero evidence that Abdullahi Adamu, chair of the All Progressives Congress, said Nigeria's elections body didn't "have the power" to stop people under 18 from… Read more »
Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Former Military Leader Babaginda Didn't Tweet Support for Obasanjo's Endorsement of Presidential Candidate Obi
IN SHORT: A tweet doing the rounds on Facebook has Nigeria's one-time military leader Ibrahim Babangida saying he respects former president Olusegun Obasanjo for endorsing Labour… Read more »
Kenya: No, President Ruto Did Not Urge Kenyans to Continue 'Killing Gay People' - Online Graphic Is Fake
IN SHORT: The killing of a gay rights activist has occupied public debate in Kenya in January 2023. But the country's president did not controversially call for the killing of gay… Read more »
January 10, 2023
Kenya: No, Kenyan Parliamentarian Keynan Hasn't Resigned - Letter Fake
IN SHORT: The resignation of Kenya's longest serving MP just months into a new term would be news. But Adan Keynan's supposed resignation letter is bogus. Read more »
Nigeria: 10 Disinformation Trends in Election Season #nigeriadecides2023
Africa's most populous country holds elections - including for president - in February 2023. So far, we've spotted 10 types of false information in the campaigns. Read more »
Nigeria: Nigeria's INEC Ad Hoc Staff Job Alert in Circulation Is Fake
IN SHORT: Despite messages still circulating on social media in Nigeria, the country's electoral commission is no longer recruiting ad-hoc staff for the 2023 general elections. Read more »
January 09, 2023
Uganda: Ignore Fake Tweet, Uganda National Exams Board Executive Didn't Say Form 4 Candidates Had Failed 2022 Exam
IN SHORT: Form 4 students in Uganda are awaiting their 2022 exam results with bated breath. A quote attributed to the examination board that they had all failed is mercifully a… Read more »
January 04, 2023
Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Central Bank Has Not Announced an Extension for the Withdrawal of Old Bank Notes
IN SHORT: The Nigerian senate has asked the country's central bank to extend how long old naira notes would be in circulation. But despite many claims on social media, the bank has… Read more »
December 30, 2022
Nigeria: No Evidence Nigeria's APC Spokesperson Keyamo Made Cynical Statement About Voters
IN SHORT: With general elections in Nigeria less than two months away, a heartless and cynical statement has been attributed to a spokesperson for the governing All Progressives… Read more »
Nigeria: No Evidence Nigeria's G5 Opposition Governors Endorsed Presidential Candidate Tinubu and Dismissed Rival Obi's Chances
IN SHORT: Nigeria is slated to elect a new president in early 2023. As the campaign season heats up, a message on social media claims an influential group of breakaway opposition… Read more »
Nigeria: No Evidence Chair of Nigeria's Governing Party Threatened to Withhold Public Funds to Secure Votes
IN SHORT: While the All Progressives Congress hopes to be re-elected in February 2023, there is no evidence the party has threatened to withhold public funds until it is sure… Read more »