IN SHORT: Africa Check has previously debunked Facebook pages and posts making promises in the name of Kenya’s former first lady, Margaret Kenyatta. And she’s still not giving out cash or other favours on social media, whatever imposter accounts would have you think.
A Facebook account called Hon Magaret Kenyatta claims to be offering KSh35,000 (about US$290) to Kenyans as a “promotion”.
The account uses the name and photo of Kenya’s former first lady Margaret Kenyatta, though it, tellingly, misspells her first name.
The offer had also been posted in a public group with 79,200 members.
The 16 October 2022 post in Kiswahili reads: “Leo ni Sunday tuko na promotion ya KSh35,000 Kwa fans wetu Kama uko online Sai usipitwe na hii leo taja tu county Yako ujipatie nafasi ya kujishindiav hii pesa Sai #mama.”
This translates to: “Today, Sunday, we have a KSh35,000 promotion for our fans. If you are online right now don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Just mention your county and stand a chance to win this money now. #mum.”
A number of users responded with the name of their county. Kenya is divided into 47 counties.
The post includes a bad-quality photo of Kenyatta.
Africa Check has previously debunked scams that used Margaret Kenyatta’s name. Is this another one?
Ignore imposter account
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s successor, William Ruto, was sworn into office on 13 September 2022, and so his wife, Rachel Ruto, took over the duties of first lady of Kenya from Margaret Kenyatta.
Official social media accounts, such as the Facebook page Office of the First Lady Kenya, are now in Rachel Ruto’s name.
This official Facebook page made no mention of monetary promotions to Kenyans when Kenyatta was in office. It mainly featured Margaret Kenyatta’s official engagements and whereabouts as first lady, as it now features Ruto’s.
It is very unlikely that Kenyatta would have a second page where she offered money to Kenyans or communicated in the offhand manner of the post.
The Facebook page Hon Magaret Kenyatta also only has 3,600 “friends” and is clearly an imposter account.
For more tips to ensure you do not fall victim to online fraudsters, read Africa Check’s handy guide to Facebook scams.
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