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AFP
14-07-2025
- Politics
- AFP
The African Union has not announced plans to impeach Kenya's president
'Breaking News AU leaders plan to impeach President William Ruto amid frequent protests,' reads a post published on X on July 7, 2025. Image Screenshot of the false post, taken on July 9, 2025 The accompanying graphic bears the branding of local news outlet ' and features an image of several African leaders, including former AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, ex-Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and other leaders of member states, together with a smaller inset photo of Ruto shaking hands with opposition leader Raila Odinga. The graphic also includes a faint 'Mastardcesh' watermark, which is the name of the account that published it, indicating it was the source of the claim in question. The replies under the post suggest users believed the claim to be true. One user asked: 'Please do. How can we support?' 'This will be a very progressive movement for the African people at least this shows we have a working system for africans that are concerted with the ppl (sic),' wrote another. The claim was also published on Facebook here and here. However, the graphic in question is fake, and the AU has not announced plans to impeach Ruto. Fabricated graphic The digital card in question does not appear on the official social media pages for ' where such news reports are typically published. AFP Fact Check contacted the news outlet's social media manager Adongo Kyalo, who rejected the graphic. 'This is not from us,' he said, adding that users should 'check our social media pages on the quoted dates to confirm the authenticity of the graphics'. We also found no credible source of evidence on the AU announcing plans to impeach Ruto, following recent protests in Kenya. While the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, an organ of the AU, expressed concern over the recent events in Kenya, the continental body does not have the power to impeach the president of a member state (archived here and here). A sitting Kenyan president can only be impeached by parliament, as stipulated in Article 145 of the constitution (archived here). Saba Saba demos On July 7, 1990, Kenyans took to the streets to fight for multi-party democracy, in what became known as 'Saba Saba', which is Swahili for 'Seven Seven' (archived here). At the time, Kenya was under the autocratic rule of former president Daniel arap Moi and the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party, which outlawed opposition parties. The historic protests turned violent, resulting in multiple deaths and more than 1,000 arrests. Thirty-five years later, the 2025 commemoration of Saba Saba shares many similarities with the earlier movement, with nationwide protests leading to an economic shutdown and a violent police response that left at least 31 dead and saw over 500 arrested (archived here and here). The July 7 events took place just days after similarly violent demonstrations marked the anniversary of last year's finance bill protests, which culminated in a breach of parliament (archived here). Ruto has since warned against attempts to 'overthrow' the government through 'unconstitutional means' (archived here).
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The African Union has not announced plans to impeach Kenya's president
'Breaking News AU leaders plan to impeach President William Ruto amid frequent protests,' reads a post published on X on July 7, 2025. The accompanying graphic bears the branding of local news outlet ' and features an image of several African leaders, including former AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, ex-Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and other leaders of member states, together with a smaller inset photo of Ruto shaking hands with opposition leader Raila Odinga. The graphic also includes a faint 'Mastardcesh' watermark, which is the name of the account that published it, indicating it was the source of the claim in question. The replies under the post suggest users believed the claim to be true. One user asked: 'Please do. How can we support?' 'This will be a very progressive movement for the African people at least this shows we have a working system for africans that are concerted with the ppl (sic),' wrote another. The claim was also published on Facebook here and here. However, the graphic in question is fake, and the AU has not announced plans to impeach Ruto. The digital card in question does not appear on the official social media pages for ' where such news reports are typically published. AFP Fact Check contacted the news outlet's social media manager Adongo Kyalo, who rejected the graphic. 'This is not from us,' he said, adding that users should 'check our social media pages on the quoted dates to confirm the authenticity of the graphics'. We also found no credible source of evidence on the AU announcing plans to impeach Ruto, following recent protests in Kenya. While the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, an organ of the AU, expressed concern over the recent events in Kenya, the continental body does not have the power to impeach the president of a member state (archived here and here). A sitting Kenyan president can only be impeached by parliament, as stipulated in Article 145 of the constitution (archived here). On July 7, 1990, Kenyans took to the streets to fight for multi-party democracy, in what became known as 'Saba Saba', which is Swahili for 'Seven Seven' (archived here). At the time, Kenya was under the autocratic rule of former president Daniel arap Moi and the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party, which outlawed opposition parties. The historic protests turned violent, resulting in multiple deaths and more than 1,000 arrests. Thirty-five years later, the 2025 commemoration of Saba Saba shares many similarities with the earlier movement, with nationwide protests leading to an economic shutdown and a violent police response that left at least 31 dead and saw over 500 arrested (archived here and here). The July 7 events took place just days after similarly violent demonstrations marked the anniversary of last year's finance bill protests, which culminated in a breach of parliament (archived here). Ruto has since warned against attempts to 'overthrow' the government through 'unconstitutional means' (archived here).
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
UK, US, South Sudan top list as Kenyan banks transport cash across borders
Kenyan commercial banks are increasingly transporting physical cash to foreign destinations, with the United Kingdom, United States, and South Sudan ranking as the top recipients. Kenyan commercial banks transport significant amounts of physical cash to foreign nations, with the UK and US among the top destinations. The UK accounted for 42% of cash shipments due to historical ties and established financial networks with Kenya. Prominent currencies transported include the US dollar, British pound, and euro, underscoring global financial connections. This trend was highlighted in the latest Survey on Cross-Border Movement of Cash, which revealed that 15 commercial banks representing 39.4% of all licensed banks in Kenya are engaged in cross-border cash shipments. The report, compiled by Kenyan financial authorities, underscores the scale and complexity of physical currency movements in and out of the country. According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the primary reasons Kenyan banks transport physical cash across borders include the repatriation of foreign currency and the need to ensure operational efficiency by meeting the liquidity demands of their foreign subsidiaries. In a report released on Wednesday, July 2, CBK noted that the main source of the transported cash is customer deposits held across local branches. Additional sources include group subsidiaries, currency exchange agencies, and central banks of other countries, highlighting the diverse financial networks involved in cross-border cash movements as per UK leads as top destination for Kenya's cash outflow According to the report, the United Kingdom emerged as the leading destination for physical cash outflows from Kenya, accounting for 42% of the total. The United States followed with 15%, Switzerland with 12%, and Germany with 4%. The UK's central role in hosting foreign accounts for Kenyan banks, businesses, and government institutions is closely tied to the deep and historic ties between the two nations. According to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the UK was Kenya's fifth-largest export destination in 2022 and remains the largest international investor in the country, accounting for 14% of Kenya's total stock of foreign liabilities. These enduring trade, financial, and diplomatic ties help position the UK as a key hub for Kenyan foreign accounts and currency repatriation. Regionally, South Sudan accounted for 15% of physical cash shipments, while the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) received 8%. The most commonly transported currencies were the US dollar, euro, and British pound, reflecting the global nature of Kenya's financial networks and the liquidity needs of its banks abroad. While the United Kingdom topped the list of destinations for Kenya's physical cash exports, the US dollar was the most frequently moved currency. This highlights the dollar's dominance in international finance and the UK's pivotal role as a global financial hub facilitating multi-currency operations. Kenyan regulators have emphasized that all such operations are carried out under strict compliance frameworks, including anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) protocols.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Posts falsely claim Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi was abducted for a second time
'Boniface Abducted Again. Leaked video proves intent to dehumanize. Rose Njeri's connection to Russian psy-ops raises serious flags. This isn't protest—it's cyber war. #AsanteSamia, are you watching this unfold (sic)?' reads an X post published on June 4, 2025. The clip appears to be a 'breaking news' bulletin from Kenyan media outlet Citizen TV, featuring anchor Yvonne Okwara. The chyron reads: 'Boniface Mwangi abducted.' 'Folks, my ears are ringing, the noise is at its peak yet again in this country,' Okwara says at the beginning of the clip. She is not seen again from the eight-second mark, but a voice that sounds like Okwara's takes over, illustrated by old clips and images of Mwangi, and a blurry video used to depict assault. There is also a noticeable difference in the audio. 'Boniface Mwangi has been abducted once again. This time from his familial home in Lukenya. His last known location, as indicated by a cell phone ping, was near the Namanga border raising serious concerns that he may be taken back to Tanzania,' the voice says, adding that 'this development comes just days after Boniface held a press conference detailing the torture and arrest he faced in Tanzania.' The video alleges that Mwangi revealed that he was threatened with death if he 'shared his story publicly' and that 'a video has now surfaced on social media allegedly showing Boniface's torture'. The voice further claims that the video, which has not been 'independently verified', would not be aired due to its 'graphic nature' and that 'Mwangi's fate is currently unknown'. The clip ends by saying that 'circumstances of his apparent re-abduction suggest a pattern of deliberate silencing rather than random violence' and that 'authorities have not issued any statements on his whereabouts or the veracity of the video'. On the same day the video was shared online, digital cards with similar messaging were published on X using the same hashtags and bearing the branding of local media outlets, including K24 and Citizen. One such purported digital card attributes the following quote to Law Society of Kenya leader Faith Odhiambo: 'If it is that Boniface Mwangi has been abducted again and the last ping on his phone is said to be Namanga, this is not an arrest - it is a crime. LSK will not stand by.' A K24-branded graphic allegedly quotes opposition leader and lawyer Martha Karua saying: 'The circulation of videos allegedly showing Boniface Mwangi being sexually violated is a vile breach of his dignity and human rights. His second abduction, this time on Kenyan soil, is an affront to our sovereignty.' Finally, a Citizen digital card, attributed to human rights activist Hussein Khalid, reads: 'Boniface Mwangi has been abducted from his Lukenya house by Swahili-speaking men in plain clothes who refused to identify themselves. They sped off towards Namanga. His family is very traumatised.' Odhiambo, Karua and Khalid have consistently been at the forefront of advocating for human rights and justice for activists who have faced legal challenges. Mwangi was one of several activists recently detained and deported from Tanzania. He, along with other activists and politicians from Kenya and Uganda, had travelled to show solidarity with Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges. In what escalated into a diplomatic row between Kenya and Tanzania, Mwangi, who was released and returned to Kenya on May 22, 2025, accused Tanzanian authorities of torture and sexual assault during his incommunicado detention (archived here and here). The Kenyan activist has had several brushes with the law in the past (archived here and here). However, claims that Mwangi has been abducted again in Kenya after his Tanzania ordeal are false. AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches on keyframes from the X video and found that the introduction was taken from a real Yvonne's Take segment published by Citizen TV on July 13, 2023 (archived here). In the original segment, Okwara starts with the introduction used in the X video: 'Folks, my ears are ringing, the noise is at its peak yet again in this country.' She then proceeds to say: 'And the noise is everywhere. People are out on the streets protesting.' Unlike the clip shared on X, she remains onscreen throughout the original video and does not mention Mwangi or an abduction. While Okwara is dressed in the same attire in both videos, the chyron font and text look different in the original video. 'Yvonne's Take: Protests and Proverbs,' it reads. We also analysed the X clip's audio through InVID-WeVerify's audio detection tool, and the results suggested strong evidence of voice cloning from the eight-second mark, which coincides with the exact moment Okwara is no longer visible on the screen. AFP Fact Check did not find any evidence of the graphics being published by the media outlets to which they were attributed. There is also no news of Mwangi being abducted again or of videos of his assault in Tanzania being leaked. Instead, Odhiambo, K24 and Khalid independently flagged the claims as 'fake news'. 'Our attention has been drawn to a series of false statements and deepfakes allegedly concerning the abduction of Boniface Mwangi. We urge members of the public to disregard this fake online campaign and disregard all attempts of misdirection and misinformation,' Odhiambo stated in a post on her X account. Similarly, Khalid wrote: 'Please be weary (sic) of fake news circulating linked to me. I can confirm that @bonifacemwangi is safe and has not been abducted by anyone. I urge those circulating fake news to desist. It's only raising unnecessary tension and will lead to public mistrust.' Meanwhile, K24 shared the graphic as a 'fake news alert'. Despite the online claims of his re-abduction, Mwangi has remained active on social media since his return to Kenya, making no mention of another abduction. On June 12, 2025, amidst protests demanding justice for Albert Ajwang, a Kenyan who recently died in police custody, he posted a video of himself addressing 'propaganda' about an arrest warrant (archived here). The caption on the post in English and Swahili reads: 'I heard there's an arrest warrant, that I beat up a police officer while they are the ones who beat me. Tell the government I'm sleeping home today and they are welcome.' 'The goons who were in town were sent by Ruto's government to cause chaos. June 25, 2025, is a holiday. National Remembrance Day to honour our heroes. Let's meet in the streets,' he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Boniface Mwangi (@bonifacemwangi) In the video he says partly in Swahili: 'There is propaganda about a warrant of arrest. Okay, we're waiting. I haven't left Kenya; my number remains the same. The government knows where I live. They know my office and I'm here.'
AFP
16-06-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Posts falsely claim Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi was abducted for a second time
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi was recently detained and deported from Tanzania, where he and other activists and politicians from Kenya and Uganda, had gone to attend opposition leader Tundu Lissu's treason trial. Recent posts shared on X claim that Mwangi has been abducted again. But this is false; the posts include an altered video with AI-generated audio, while others published fabricated digital cards. 'Boniface Abducted Again. Leaked video proves intent to dehumanize. Rose Njeri's connection to Russian psy-ops raises serious flags. This isn't protest—it's cyber war. #AsanteSamia, are you watching this unfold (sic)?' reads an X post published on June 4, 2025. Image Screenshot of the altered post, taken on June 4, 2025 The clip appears to be a 'breaking news' bulletin from Kenyan media outlet Citizen TV, featuring anchor Yvonne Okwara. The chyron reads: 'Boniface Mwangi abducted.' 'Folks, my ears are ringing, the noise is at its peak yet again in this country,' Okwara says at the beginning of the clip. She is not seen again from the eight-second mark, but a voice that sounds like Okwara's takes over, illustrated by old clips and images of Mwangi, and a blurry video used to depict assault. There is also a noticeable difference in the audio. 'Boniface Mwangi has been abducted once again. This time from his familial home in Lukenya. His last known location, as indicated by a cell phone ping, was near the Namanga border raising serious concerns that he may be taken back to Tanzania,' the voice says, adding that 'this development comes just days after Boniface held a press conference detailing the torture and arrest he faced in Tanzania.' The video alleges that Mwangi revealed that he was threatened with death if he 'shared his story publicly' and that 'a video has now surfaced on social media allegedly showing Boniface's torture'. The voice further claims that the video, which has not been 'independently verified', would not be aired due to its 'graphic nature' and that 'Mwangi's fate is currently unknown'. The clip ends by saying that 'circumstances of his apparent re-abduction suggest a pattern of deliberate silencing rather than random violence' and that 'authorities have not issued any statements on his whereabouts or the veracity of the video'. On the same day the video was shared online, digital cards with similar messaging were published on X using the same hashtags and bearing the branding of local media outlets, including K24 and Citizen. Image From left: Screenshots of the fake graphics bearing the branding of K24 and Citizen, taken on June 5, 2025 One such purported digital card attributes the following quote to Law Society of Kenya leader Faith Odhiambo: 'If it is that Boniface Mwangi has been abducted again and the last ping on his phone is said to be Namanga, this is not an arrest - it is a crime. LSK will not stand by.' A K24-branded graphic allegedly quotes opposition leader and lawyer Martha Karua saying: 'The circulation of videos allegedly showing Boniface Mwangi being sexually violated is a vile breach of his dignity and human rights. His second abduction, this time on Kenyan soil, is an affront to our sovereignty.' Finally, a Citizen digital card, attributed to human rights activist Hussein Khalid, reads: 'Boniface Mwangi has been abducted from his Lukenya house by Swahili-speaking men in plain clothes who refused to identify themselves. They sped off towards Namanga. His family is very traumatised.' Odhiambo, Karua and Khalid have consistently been at the forefront of advocating for human rights and justice for activists who have faced legal challenges. Detained and deported Mwangi was one of several activists recently detained and deported from Tanzania. He, along with other activists and politicians from Kenya and Uganda, had travelled to show solidarity with Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges. In what escalated into a diplomatic row between Kenya and Tanzania, Mwangi, who was released and returned to Kenya on May 22, 2025, accused Tanzanian authorities of torture and sexual assault during his incommunicado detention (archived here and here). The Kenyan activist has had several brushes with the law in the past (archived here and here). However, claims that Mwangi has been abducted again in Kenya after his Tanzania ordeal are false. Altered video and fabricated graphics AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches on keyframes from the X video and found that the introduction was taken from a real Yvonne's Take segment published by Citizen TV on July 13, 2023 (archived here). In the original segment, Okwara starts with the introduction used in the X video: 'Folks, my ears are ringing, the noise is at its peak yet again in this country.' She then proceeds to say: 'And the noise is everywhere. People are out on the streets protesting.' Unlike the clip shared on X, she remains onscreen throughout the original video and does not mention Mwangi or an abduction. While Okwara is dressed in the same attire in both videos, the chyron font and text look different in the original video. 'Yvonne's Take: Protests and Proverbs,' it reads. Image Screenshots comparing the doctored video (left) and the original Citizen TV footage (right), taken on June 5, 2025 We also analysed the X clip's audio through InVID-WeVerify's audio detection tool, and the results suggested strong evidence of voice cloning from the eight-second mark, which coincides with the exact moment Okwara is no longer visible on the screen. Image A screenshot of InVID-WeVerify's voice cloning detector results, taken on June 5, 2025 AFP Fact Check did not find any evidence of the graphics being published by the media outlets to which they were attributed. There is also no news of Mwangi being abducted again or of videos of his assault in Tanzania being leaked. Instead, Odhiambo, K24 and Khalid independently flagged the claims as 'fake news'. 'Our attention has been drawn to a series of false statements and deepfakes allegedly concerning the abduction of Boniface Mwangi. We urge members of the public to disregard this fake online campaign and disregard all attempts of misdirection and misinformation,' Odhiambo stated in a post on her X account. Similarly, Khalid wrote: 'Please be weary (sic) of fake news circulating linked to me. I can confirm that @bonifacemwangi is safe and has not been abducted by anyone. I urge those circulating fake news to desist. It's only raising unnecessary tension and will lead to public mistrust.' Meanwhile, K24 shared the graphic as a 'fake news alert'. Image From left: Screenshots of the fake graphics flagged by Odhiambo, K24 and Khalid, taken on June 5, 2025 Despite the online claims of his re-abduction, Mwangi has remained active on social media since his return to Kenya, making no mention of another abduction. On June 12, 2025, amidst protests demanding justice for Albert Ajwang, a Kenyan who recently died in police custody, he posted a video of himself addressing 'propaganda' about an arrest warrant (archived here). The caption on the post in English and Swahili reads: 'I heard there's an arrest warrant, that I beat up a police officer while they are the ones who beat me. Tell the government I'm sleeping home today and they are welcome.' 'The goons who were in town were sent by Ruto's government to cause chaos. June 25, 2025, is a holiday. National Remembrance Day to honour our heroes. Let's meet in the streets,' he added. In the video he says partly in Swahili: 'There is propaganda about a warrant of arrest. Okay, we're waiting. I haven't left Kenya; my number remains the same. The government knows where I live. They know my office and I'm here.'
