NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has accused President William Ruto’s administration of engaging in a malicious misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting leaders of the ongoing GenZ protests.
Mwangi, known for his vocal stance on issues of governance and human rights, says that the government is using taxpayer money to spread falsehoods and target individuals like himself who are championing the cause for accountability and transparency.
In a statement on X-formerly Twitter, Mwangi attributed this to what he termed as , “increasing desperation” of President Ruto’s government, which he claims has lost “any semblance of legitimacy.”
According to Mwangi, the administration has resorted to creating fake WhatsApp messages and audios, attempting to clone his voice to undermine his credibility.
“Government bloggers unleashed fake WhatsApp messages targeting me personally. Kenyans on Twitter were quick to debunk them by highlighting the inconsistencies,” Mwangi said.
The activist’s accusations come amid widespread protests across Kenya, with citizens from various regions and backgrounds uniting to demand better governance, accountability, and an end to corruption.
On Monday alone, demonstrations took place in 26 towns, as Kenyans expressed their frustration over the economic and political state of the country.
Mwangi pointed out the irony of the government’s smear campaign, noting that the Genzs movement is leaderless and driven by the collective anger of the people, not by any individual orchestrators.
“The government has chosen to spend vast resources to try and discredit Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights. Instead of listening and engaging with the citizens, they prefer to take the hard path of oppression and misinformation,” Mwangi stated.
He questioned why the government would be against calls for accountability and good governance if it truly had nothing to hide.
The activist also revealed that government operatives have resorted to more direct forms of intimidation.
Mwangi described incidents where plainclothes officers and government-aligned goons arrested and harassed protesters, seeking information about his whereabouts.
“Yesterday, the government had goons and plainclothes officers arresting people and asking if they had seen me. They even impounded a car we used during the last protest, expecting me and the owner to show up,” Mwangi recounted.
In response to the smear campaign, Mwangi has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against those responsible for creating and disseminating the fake video targeting him.
He emphasized that in a true democracy, a government that engages in unlawful acts against its citizens would have resigned by now.
“If anything happens to me or my family, look no further than the State House. That’s the man who would wish and has the power to harm us,” Mwangi asserted.
