Fact-check: No South Sudanese nationals have been arrested during protests in Kenya.

Writer: Makur Majeng

A press statement circulating on social media and some mainstream media platforms alleging that the Kenyan National Police Service (NPS) arrested 19 South Sudanese nationals—alongside other foreigners—for participating in recent violent protests in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya is false.

A document purporting to be an official press release from the Office of the Inspector General of Kenya’s National Police Service (NPS) claims that foreigners, including 19 South Sudanese nationals, were arrested during anti-government protests. It lists other foreign nationals as well and claims a crackdown on undocumented immigrants is underway.

The document, dated July 6, 2025, includes arrest figures for citizens of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda, Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen, and stateless individuals.

Claim Verification:

The National Police Service of Kenya has explicitly discredited the document in a statement issued via its official communication channels on July 7, 2025.

“This press statement circulating on social media, purporting to be issued by the Spokesperson of the National Police Service, is fake,” reads part of the Kenya National Police Service.

On the other hand, the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Nairobi also issued a press release on July 7, 2025, dismissing the claims as misinformation.

“As of the time of this release, no South Sudanese citizen has been reported to the embassy as having been arrested or detained by Kenyan authorities in connection with the ongoing demonstrations,” reads a statement from the South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi.

Context

While protests in Kenya have drawn widespread attention, there is no verified evidence supporting claims that foreign nationals—particularly South Sudanese—have been systematically targeted or arrested en masse.

Conclusion

211 Check finds the document claiming that 19 South Sudanese nationals were arrested during recent protests in Kenya is fake. It has been debunked by both the National Police Service of Kenya and the South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi.

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