Revenue has been under-performing for the last 10 years.
Source: Ukur Yatani, Kenya’s finance minister (October 2019).
Treasury documents show the target for ordinary revenue hasn’t been reached for at least nine financial years since 2009/10.
A former presidential candidate took to national TV, where he among other claims said 5G radiation levels could ‘cremate’ people. Was Martin Onovo correct?
Inhaling steam over 100°C will “disintegrate” the coronavirus, because it is “fat”.
Source: Tanzanian president John Magufuli (22 April 2020)
There is no scientific evidence that very high temperatures or inhaling steam “kills” Covid-19.
In Kenya, chances of women living to more than 100 years are almost three times that of men.
Source: The Standard newspaper, February 2020
The probability of a woman in Kenya living to 100 would, at best, be twice that of a man.
Six claims about the Nigerian economy.
Source: Former Nigerian vice president Atiku Abubakar (8 April 2020)
Three correct or mostly correct, two incorrect, one unproven.
Alcohol weakens the immune system, making it difficult for the body to fight infections such as Covid-19.
Source: South African government on Twitter (2 April 2020)
Several studies have shown that alcohol use, particularly the binge drinking common in South Africa, reduces the body’s ability to fight infection.
All the ordinary revenue collected by the Kenya Revenue Authority is used to repay the country’s local and foreign loans, currently worth more than KSh6 trillion.
Source: The Star newspaper, February 2020
Ordinary revenue raised in recent financial years would have met Kenya’s public debt obligations at least twice over.
South Africa has only 800 ICU beds in the whole country.
Source: WhatsApp message (2020)
The data is hard to come by, but there are far more than 800 ICU beds in the public and private health system.
39% of Kenya’s youth are unemployed, according to census data
Source: Business Daily newspaper (February 2020)
Census data does not support a 39% rate.
Interferon alpha-2b is a vaccine for the new coronavirus.
Source: Mzwandile Masina, mayor of Ekurhuleni (18 March 2020)
Interferon alpha-2b has been used to treat some earlier strains of coronavirus, but it’s not a vaccine that would prevent people from getting Covid-19.