Writer: Makur Majeng

A recent Facebook post by South Sudanese musician John Frog claims that U.S. President Donald Trump once said, “Everyone is a thief in South Sudan, including civilians.” is false.

The post, which includes the hashtag #GG and a laughing emoji, has sparked curiosity and mixed reactions online. John Frog’s post gained rapid engagement, garnering 160 likes, 60 comments, and one share within five minutes.

“President Donald Trump said everyone is a thief in South Sudan including civilians, what does he mean ?#GG,” reads John Frog’s post.

The screenshot of John Frog’s Facebook post.

Claim Verification:

A Google keyword search using the “Donald Trump everyone is a thief in South Sudan statement” shows no related information.

211 Check conducted a comprehensive review of Donald Trump’s speeches, interviews, and social media accounts like Facebook, and X(formerly Twitter) and revealed no record of him making such a statement about South Sudan. Searches across credible news organizations like CNN and BBC and public records yielded no results.

If Trump had made such a controversial remark, it would have been widely covered by both South Sudanese and international media. However, no credible outlet has reported this claim.

The playful tone of the post, paired with the hashtag #GG and the laughing emoji, suggests it may be satirical or humorous rather than factual. Such exaggerations are common on social media to spark engagement or provoke discussion.

Global figures like Donald Trump are often subject to fabricated or misattributed quotes online. This is likely one of those cases, with no factual backing.

Conclusion:

211 Check has verified that the claim about Donald Trump stating that “Everyone in South Sudan is a thief, including civilians” is false. There is no evidence to support this statement, and it is likely a humorous or satirical comment rather than a factual assertion.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing.  For more details, visit https://211check.org/, or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter.

The post Fact-check: Did Donald Trump say everyone in South Sudan is a thief, including civilians? appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Makur Majeng

A Facebook post claiming that a snake swallowed an AK47 in Gudele, a residential area in Juba, South Sudan, is false and misleading.

The claim purported a big-size black viper (snake) swallowed the firearm of an unknown gunman terrorising Gudele, one of the largest suburb areas in the capital Juba, South Sudan. 

“A black big-size Viper swallowed a firearm belonging to unknown gunman known for terrorizing Gudele suburb in the capital Juba.

Ngundeng Böng oyeeeeee,” Phow Radio FM Facebook page post reads.

The screenshot of the Facebook post

The photo was earlier posted by The 211 Magazine on June 28, 2020, with the caption “Snake swallows AK-47. What would you do if you’re the owner of the assault rifle?”

It was also posted by Hrock Chidi‘s Facebook page on August 29, 2019, with the statement, “Snake swallowed Nigerian Army rifle in Borno State. Look at the evil going on in that country.. We must continue”.

Claim Verification:

211 Check found that the photo of the snake-like figure that is viral on social media has been posted as artwork for sale on several art websites. 

Using a reverse image search, it was found that the artwork was featured on Artsy.net in 2019 and is made of rubber. Additionally, the image has been trending online since 2019 and has no connection to South Sudan, as indicated by various image search engines, including Google, Yandex, and Bing. Furthermore, the information has been fact-checked and verified across multiple sources,  here, here, here, and here.

Google Fact-check tool shows that four different fact-checking organisations have fact-checked it to be an artwork, not a real snake.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the photo going viral on social media is not of a real snake but of a rubber artwork by Russian artist Vasily Slonov. This artwork is called “Python-AK,” made of rubber, and was created in 2019. 

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter

The post Fact-check: The image depicting a snake swallowing a gun in Gudele is a fabricated work of art by a Russian artist appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Christopher Luate Obede

A Facebook post published by Radio Dabanga-211, featuring an image of a wet street, claiming that Juba is amongst the cleanest cities in East Africa, is unproven.

Radio Dabanga-211 is a Facebook page with over 8.2K likes and 18K followers. 

“Juba is amongst cleanest cities in East Africa. Juba, I love,” the post shared on January 13, 2024, briefly reads.

Screenshot of the Facebook post by Radio Dabanga-211

Claim Verification:

A Google keyword search for “Clean cities in East Africa” by 211 Check finds that the cleanest cities in East Africa, ranked by Top Ten Uganda, are Kigali, the largest capital city of Rwanda, and Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Kigali has also been ranked by FURTHER AFRICA as the cleanest city on the African continent in 2022.

Google search for “Juba” only returns a result with an article published by LIKIS MEDIA with a lawmaker claiming that Juba is the world’s dirtiest city.

Image verification using Google Lens reverse image search returns several results. The image captioned is from Sudan in Photos, a Pinterest account that describes the image as “Rainy morning in Khartoum.” 

Bajnews first published the image on its website on July 21, 2018. It is a street in Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah State in east-central Sudan.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that Juba is among the cleanest cities in East Africa unproven. There is no specific information about Juba being one of the cleanest cities in East Africa. 

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-Check for a Pay’ Initiative with support from the International Fact-Checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 921 350 435. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: Juba is not one of the top five cleanest cities in East Africa</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Christopher Luate Obede 

A Facebook post published by Legit.ng Breaking News, featuring an image of a South Sudanese singer, Mc Lumoex, referring to him as a Ghanaian, is false.

Legit.ng Breaking News is a verified Facebook page that describes itself as a modern digital news platform in Nigeria with over 2.8 million followers. “Ghanaian Singer Forced to End Performance Abruptly After Trousers Ripped Apart While on Stage,” it said in its report.

Screenshot of the Facebook post by Legit.ng Breaking News.

Claim Verification:

A reverse image search by 211 Check finds that THE SOUTH AFRICA also published the image’s caption with a video clip shared on Facebook by a South Sudanese blogger, Hot in Juba. 

TUKO.co.ke, a Kenyan digital news outlet, also reported the same incident during performances at the South Theatre Academy Awards at Juba’s Freedom Hall on Friday, 22 December 2023.

Google search for “Mc Lumoex” only returns results with his bio related to South Sudan, not Ghana.

Who is Mc Lumoex?

Mc Lumoex, who said in an interview with the City Review Newspaper that his real name is Isaac Lumori Anthony, is a South Sudanese artist who has recorded several songs. He says that apart from his artistic job, he serves as a network engineer in the field of ICT (Information Communication Technology)

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that Mc Lumoex is a Ghanaian false. The singer is a South Sudanese, based on his online biographical information.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: Mc Lumoex is a South Sudanese singer, not a Ghanaian</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer Doki Simon James 

A Facebook post by Ruweng Eye on 29 September 2023 with the picture of an Olympic City stadium design allegedly to be built in a new administrative capital in South Sudan is false.

The post‘s caption, shared by Ruweng Eye, reads in part, “The stadium’s design was inspired by the South Sudanese Royal necklace. South Sudan aims to become the first African country to host the Olympic Games in 2036.”

This post generated 292 reactions, 47 comments and one share.

The picture of the Olympic Stadium design

Screenshot of the Facebook post published by Ruweng Eye

Claim Verification:

On conducting a Google Reverse Image Search, the picture was found to have been circulated earlier by sports and news websites from across the African continent. These include FootballAfrica on Reddit, African Soccer Updates on Twitter and Basic Sports Network in Nigeria website, all confirming the stadium was built in Egypt and not South Sudan.

On 28 June 2023, FootballAfrica, Basic Sports Network in Nigeria and African Soccer Updates all posted the same image on their official account pages with the below captions:

FootballAfrica on Reddit

“The New Administrative Capital Stadium is almost complete, with an expected capacity of over 94,000 people. It will be the largest stadium in Egypt and the second largest in Africa, and is expected to replace Cairo International Stadium as the new Egyptian National Team stadium.”

Basic Sports Network in Nigeria shared the same picture made  by Sampson Adedeji on their website with the caption “Egypt Set To Complete 2nd Largest Stadium In Africa.”

African Soccer Updates on Twitter 

“The New Administrative Capital Stadium is almost complete, with an expected capacity of over 94,000 people. It will be the largest stadium in Egypt and the second largest in Africa, and is expected to replace Cairo International Stadium as the new Egyptian National Team stadium.”

The post claim made by Ruweng Eye used the flag symbol of Egypt before the name South Sudan, which shows a fabrication of information.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim made by Ruweng Eye of an Olympic stadium being built in a new administrative capital in South Sudan false.

The picture and the text claims were of a new national stadium currently under construction in Cairo, Egypt, with an expected completion date in 2024.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: This picture isn’t of an Olympic stadium design to be built in South Sudan</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer Doki Simon James

A Facebook post published by Juba Eye on 7 November 2023 displaying a pair of gumboots and shoes with muddy soil particles allegedly from Juba is false.

Juba is the capital city of South Sudan.

“Hunting down side chicks in Juba on rainy days is never easy,” the post caption reads. This post attracted 362 reactions, 26 comments and five shares.

Screenshot of the Facebook Claim by Juba Eye

Claim Verification:

Upon conducting a Google Reverse Image Search, the same picture was found to have been circulated earlier on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts from Kenya with varying locations, dates and claims.

On 05 November 2023, the picture was shared by Miss Smiles on Twitter with no caption but tagged #Solfest23, another Kenyan-based Twitter account. On the same date, it was posted on  Facebook by Qmax Media,  a Kenyan-based digital creator, with the caption in Kiswahili, “Na tulikua tuma-warn Kweli hii mvua imezidi”

On 06 November 2023, the Picture was shared on Instagram by gukenafmkenya with the caption, “Weather of 2🤣🤣 Ndikunyitwo ni homa nie😂”

In all the above posts, the photo has been used for humour.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that the picture of muddy shoes published in a Facebook post by Juba Eye, allegedly from Juba in South Sudan, is false. 

The picture’s origin can be traced to social media posts from Kenya.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: This photo of muddy shoes wasn’t originally taken in Juba</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Jibi Moses

A video making rounds on social media, claiming to show a leaking roof at Entebbe International Airport, is misleading.

The video, which was shared on TikTok (archived here) on November 16, 2023, among other platforms, had a voice from the background and words inscribed on it that said:  “Our Entebbe Airport this morning, when a country rots, everything goes with it.”

However, the comments from the post raised suspicion, as many people were disputing that this is not Entebbe International Airport but Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). This prompted 211 Check to investigate the video.

The screenshot of the claim as shown on TikTok

Claim Verification:

A keyword search of the words ‘A video of a leaking roof at Entebbe International Airport’ brought several results, all of which showed that the incident happened at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Some of the results were reported by Kenyan media outlets such as here and here, which, on November 16, 2023, said that the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority had put out a statement to clarify that the incident did not occur at Entebbe International Airport. 

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority made a statement on November 15, 2023, telling the public to ignore the trending video of an ‘unfortunate situation at an airport in a neighbouring country.’

Please ignore the trending video of an unfortunate situation at an airport in a neighbouring country, which some WhatsApp users have wrongly attributed to Entebbe International Airport. Note that this is not Entebbe International Airport; read the message on CAA’s X handle, which is accompanied by the same video.

On 14 November 2023, one of the leading Kenyan news outlets, Citizen TV, reported about the incident at the JKIA. The report also mentioned that Kenya’s Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, blamed the incident on the previous government, which allegedly did shoddy work on terminals 1C and 1E.

Many other sources reported the incident, as seen here, here, here, and here.

Has Entebbe International Airport ever had leaking roofs?

On September 6, 2023, the Daily Monitor published an article titled

Entebbe International Airport floods amid UPDF construction. The flooding was attributed to leaks from the upper floors of the terminal building, as the area was under ongoing expansion. 

A screenshot from the Daily Monitor’s publication

On November 17, 2023, Newsday, an online outlet, ran a story describing the situation at Entebbe Airport. The story’s headline was:  Seyani Brothers on the spot over leaking roof at Entebbe Airport

Videos making the rounds show one of the newly constructed passenger terminal buildings by the Seyani Brothers with water on the floor following torrential rains.

Seyani was contracted to work on the airport passenger terminal to the tune of Sh42b.

According to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, the landside expansion by M/s Seyani Brothers (U) Ltd. sought to provide more room and comfort for service users, especially passengers,” partly read the article written by Newsday.

Given the above articles, there have been past leakage/s at Entebbe International Airport, which seemingly made the JKIA incident believable to the Ugandan public. 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the video making the rounds on social media, claimed to show a leaking roof at Entebbe International Airport, to be misleading. The video is of JKIA in Nairobi, Kenya. 

This fact check was published by 211 Check with technical support from Code for Africa’s  PesaCheck newsdesk through the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: This video of a leaking roof isn’t at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda </strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Jibi Moses 

These images shared on a Facebook post, archived here, claiming that rain washed away one of the lanes of the Juba-Bar el Ghazal Road in November 2023 are partly false.

Watchdog Press, a Facebook page, published the claim on November 8, 2023, where one of the photos had the image of a man. The post reads: “#Breaking #News: A heavy downpour yesterday washed away one of the lanes of the Juba-Bar-el- Ghazal highway. This is the second embarrassment of Gimcrack work following a two years incident where the same highway was destroyed by rain.”

The screenshot of the post made by Watchdog Press

The post attracted comments from Facebook users, some saying that the information was baseless, while others said the incident happened in Kenya, not South Sudan. 

This prompted us to conduct an investigation. 

Claim verification

Image One:

211Check ran a Google Reverse Image Search on the first image, which returned the image as being of Mayiik Ayii Deng. 

Mayiik Ayii Deng is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as a former Minister of Presidential Affairs.

From the results, this particular image of Mayiik was seemingly first shared on August 25, 2020, by Juba TV in a post that claimed he had stolen COVID-19 money in Somalia.

Image Two:

211 Check carried out reverse searches on the rundown road on different search engines, like Microsoft Bing and Yandex, but they did not return any results. The image seemingly does not have an internet footprint.

Image Three:

With this image, Google Lens reverse search returned results showing that the image was taken in Zambia.

The Zambia Times, on February 14, 2017, posted the picture with a headline: ‘The newly tarred Luangwa-Feira Road has been damaged by heavy rains.’ 

Other sites that published similar stories with this image can also be seen here, here, here, and here.

The Great East Road:

Luangwa-Feira Road, also called The Great East Road, or T4 Highway, is a major Zambian highway linking the Eastern Province to the rest of the country and also the most important link between Zambia, Malawi, and northern Mozambique. The overall objectives of the Great East Road (T4) Rehabilitation Project are to reduce poverty and promote equitable economic growth and regional integration in Zambia. 

Juba Bar el Ghazal Road and rains:

In November 2023, Juba and most surrounding areas received a lot of rain, causing flash floods in some areas and seasonal streams. 

This caused speculations and claims that some parts of different roads under construction in South Sudan have been washed away seemingly because there were reports of the road being washed away in 2020.  The incident was reported here, here and here.

However, there hasn’t been a report of the same in November 2023. 

Conclusion:

211 Check has found the claim that some parts of the Barl-el-Ghazal road lane were washed away by the recent rains to be false, as the images used in this post were collected from different sources and at different times. One being from South Sudan, another from Zambia, and one that could not be traced online.  This claim, if not fact-checked, has the capacity to ruin the credibility of the road construction companies in South Sudan, as there are currently some projects being carried out. 

This fact check was published by 211 Check with technical support from Code for Africa’s  PesaCheck newsdesk through the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news.

Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: Were some parts of the Barl-el-Ghazal Road washed away during the November rains?</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer: Nancy Ceasar

A picture shared on Facebook on 28 October 2023 purporting to show the Serena Hotel in Kenya is false. 

The image shows a high-rise building and was posted with the caption, “Serena Hotel Kenya.” 

The post attracted several comments with differing opinions, which prompted 211 Check to do an investigation. 

A screenshot from the page 

Claim Verification: 

211 Check carried out a reverse search on the picture using Google Lens, which returned several instances where the image has been shared as a proposed plan for Fluidity 2.0, a high-rise mega luxury hotel and office hybrid tower in the Swiss Alps.

Amazing Architecture says Fluidity 2.0 High-Rise is a 250 M tall tower proposal for the Swiss landscape. The project was prototyped by Mariana Cabugueira Custodio dos Santos, whose Instagram bio states that she is an architectural designer and founder of MC Studios. Cabugueira is an architect and urban designer from Portugal. 

The image was also shared by Architecture and Design Magazine on their Facebook page in January 2022 and was credited to Cabugueira as the person behind the ‘Amazing Concept Design.’ The post adds that the photo shows a proposed plan, not an actual building. 

Similarly, on February 12, 2022, AAs Architecture shared the picture on X(formerly Twitter) accompanying a post that reads: “Fluidity 2.0 by Mariana Cabugueira Custodio dos Santos.

The image has also been shared here, here, here, here, and here, referencing Fluidity 2.0. 

On the other hand, images of Serena Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, from its website show clearly that the image in the post under investigation is not of Serena. 

Screenshot of the Serena Hotel Nairobi, Kenya, from their website

Conclusion:

211 Check found that the post with an image claimed to be Serena Hotel Kenya is misleading. The picture shows a proposed Fluidity 2.0 Mega High-Rise Luxury Hotel and Office Hybrid Tower plan in the Swiss Alps.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with technical support from Code for Africa’s  PesaCheck newsdesk through the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact check: This photo is not of the Serena Hotel in Kenya</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.

Writer Doki Simon James 

A Facebook post published by Juba Eye on 19 October 2023 allegedly of two people carrying a leopard in Torit is false.

Torit town is the state capital of Eastern Equatoria State.

“Fear no gangs spotted in Torit,” the post caption reads. One of the commentators replied, “This is Oguruny Village,” referring to a village in Eastern Equatoria, believing the picture was taken in Torit.

This post attracted 486 reactions, 83 comments and seven shares.

Image used by Juba Eye in the published post

A screenshot of the post made by Juba Eye

Claim Verification:

On conducting a Google Reverse Image Search, the same picture was found to have been posted on Twitter, 9-GAG and Linkedin with varying locations, dates and claims.

On 10 October 2023, the picture was shared on Twitter by Gor Mahia FC (a Kenyan football Club) with the claim, “Bush meat…. ukiona kitu kama hii area yako, tuite we know how to sort it,” in a mix of English and Kiswahili words.

On 20 October 2023, it was shared on 9GAG by Random with the claim, “Just another day in a third-world country… living within our means”.

About a week ago, the picture was shared on LinkedIn by Bakheit Shata with the caption: “Maasai Tribe’s mother-in-law gift to Marriage [ their daughter] this is to approve as Man”

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim made by Juba Eye alleging the picture it published in a post on 19 October 2023 was taken in Torit false.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

The post <strong>Fact-check: This picture of two men carrying a leopard isn’t from Torit</strong> appeared first on 211CHECK.