Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has distanced himself from a viral video shared on his verified social media accounts on Thursday, which claimed that Kenya was preparing to launch a digital coin.
Odinga confirmed on Friday that his accounts had been compromised by hackers, who uploaded the video without his knowledge or consent. The clip, which showed an AI-generated version of the ODM leader endorsing a so-called “Kenya Token,” spread rapidly online before it was pulled down.
“My social media platforms were hacked. The video circulating is fake and misleading. Kindly ignore it,” Odinga stated after regaining control of his accounts.
The Viral “Kenya Token” Post
The deleted post had announced the creation of a cryptocurrency on the Solana blockchain, allegedly backed by Odinga to improve Kenya’s financial system and support economic growth.
Cybersecurity experts and crypto analysts, however, quickly flagged it as a scam attempt using a deepfake video to exploit Odinga’s name and influence.
Wider Concern Over Political Hacks
The incident has raised broader concerns about the rise of AI deepfakes and online scams targeting public figures in Kenya. Technology analysts are warning Kenyans to remain cautious about links shared through verified political accounts, especially when they involve financial products.
Authorities have yet to comment on whether investigations will be launched into the hacking.
