Fact-check: NILEPET staff didn’t write this planned demonstration letter

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Nile Petroleum Corporation (NILEPET) swiftly debunked the letter as fraudulent on their official Facebook page.

Writer: Christopher Luate Obede

A Facebook post published by Sixty 4 Tribes Press, a page that describes itself as an ‘internet company’ on 1 December 2023 with a letter allegedly written by aggrieved NilePet staff about a planned peaceful demonstration, is false.

The letter was also shared and forwarded to WhatsApp groups with the same caption shared on Facebook. “Nile Petroleum Corporation staff had planned for a peaceful demonstration scheduled for Monday, 04 December 2023, at 8:00 am at the Nilepet Headquarters (HQ), Thongping residential area,” the letter read in part. 

Nile Petroleum Corporation, also known as NILEPET, is a national company established with a mandate to participate in the upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas activities on behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan. 

A letter allegedly written by aggrieved NilePet staff about a planned demonstration

Claim Verification:

Nile Petroleum Corporation dismissed the published letter with the stamp “fake” by sharing its screenshot on its official Facebook post.

“Nilepet will not hesitate to take the necessary legal action against those who continually use our image and branding to publish content in a negative light,” their Facebook post reads in part.

The company, NILEPET told The City Review Newspaper that the allegations of planned strike were just social media rumours. The news report stated that the staff were going on with their duties, and there was no protest.

Screenshot of the Facebook post by NILEPET.

On the same Facebook page, Sixty 4 Tribes Press published another fake letter claiming that the aggrieved Nile Petroleum staff had called off the protest to first submit their demands to the new chairman of the board of directors.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds a Facebook post with a letter claiming that Nile Petroleum Corporation staff planned for a peaceful demonstration, false.  

The company, on its official Facebook page, Nile Petroleum Corporation and in a news report dismissed the letter as fake.

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

Fact-check: This picture isn’t of an Olympic stadium design to be built in South Sudan

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This image is of an  Egyptian Olympic Stadium design and not South Sudan.

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

Fact-check: This photo of muddy shoes wasn’t originally taken in Juba

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This image is from Kenya and not from Juba, South Sudan.

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

Fact-check: WhatsApp NOT offering 1000 GB of free internet as a 10th-anniversary data gift

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As the imposter website link claimed, WhatsApp is not offering 1000 GB of free internet as its 10th-anniversary data gift.

Writer: Rufina Isaac

A WhatsApp message being shared widely with a link claiming that WhatsApp is offering 1000 GB of free internet as a WhatsApp anniversary data gift is a hoax.

The message claims that WhatsApp is offering data gifts to celebrate its 10th anniversary, but WhatsApp’s 10th anniversary was celebrated in 2019.

“To celebrate our 10th anniversary we give 1000 GB of free internet. Check this Out, Free 50GB (All Networks) valid for 90 days in Celebration of WhatsApp Anniversary,” the message reads partially.

 Screenshot of the claim as shown on WhatsApp  

On clicking on this link,  will pop up and block the user from further accessing the website. 

      

 Screenshot of the anti-virus Kaspersky blocking device threat

Claim verification:

The WhatsApp message claims that the free data is being offered to celebrate WhatsApp’s 10th anniversary. However, the instant messaging application was founded in 2009 and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019.

211 Check investigated the link, scanning the URL using VirusTotal. This online tool analyses suspicious files, domains, IPs, and URLs to detect malware and other breaches. It automatically shares them with the security community to determine the safety of the link to online viruses and other scams. 

Nine security vendors flagged the URL as containing malicious and phishing content. 

Screenshot of the analysis by VirusTotal of the imposter URL

Another scan was done through  Whois.com, a publicly available database containing domain name registration information. Searching both websites shows different results for the fake and original links.

                           

   screenshot of the fake URL of WhatsApp

    Whois information of the original WhatsApp website 

Conclusion:

211 Check finds a WhatsApp message with a link claiming to be for WhatsApp, a hoax. Findings show that the link is embedded with phishing and malicious malware intended to steal people’s information and personnel data on the devices. Be cautious of such websites; using the official website, WhatsApp.com, is always advisable.

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

Fact-check: South Sudanese event promoter Kay Two is alive, not dead

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On his official Facebook page, Promoter Kay Two dismissed the news as fake.

Writer: Christopher Luate Obede

A Facebook post on Dhakdit media alleging that a South Sudanese event promoter named Promoter Kay Two is said to have died the evening of 23 November 2023 with a short illness in Juba teaching hospital is false, 

Dhakdit media, which has around 41 followers and 21 likes on Facebook, captioned a picture of Promoter Kay Two claiming the event promoter had passed away in Juba that evening, “A South Sudan music promoter by name Promota Kay Two has died this evening with short illness in Juba Teaching hospital.”

Promota Kay Two, whose real name is Koryom Awet Alor, is a South Sudanese events guru and the founder of K2 Promotions and Events Company Limited.

Screenshot of the false Facebook post

Claim Verification:

Koryom Awet Alor, also known as Promoter K2, dismissed the news as fake by sharing a screenshot of the false post.

“Please disregard any news about me. It’s FAKE NEWS, I’m alive and healthy by The grace of God,” he said on his official Facebook page.

Screenshot of the Facebook post he shared.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that the Facebook post claiming that South Sudanese event promoter Koryom Awet Alor alias Kay Two died in Juba is false.  According to the evidence here, the music/event promoter is alive. On his official Facebook page, Promoter Kay Two dismissed the news as fake.

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

Fact-check: Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba didn’t advertise these positions

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This job ad is a scam. Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba did not advertise any job position.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A Facebook page peddling a job advertisement purportedly from Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba is a scam.

The page, which was seemingly created on 17 November 2023, claimed in a Facebook post that the hotel needs more staff in various departments. The post cited the festive season as the reason for the need for more workers, given the increase in the number of both local and international visitors. 

“WE ARE HIRING! We, urgently need staffs in various departments in our hotel. This has been brought by higher number of visitors from both local and foreign visitations during this festive season. As the managing committee, we came into an agreement to recruit more human resource to help in maintaining the smooth operations of the hotel. The interested candidates to apply via the link online sic),” reads the advertisement. 

The screenshot of the fraudulent Facebook page advertisement

The scam job advertisement also attached a Google form for applicants to use to apply for job positions. 

The screenshot of the Google form.

Claim Verification:

211 Check reviewed the Facebook page, which shared the advertisement critically, and it appeared that the page was created on 17 November 2023, given its profile picture update at 6:35 am. The page had one follower at the time we reviewed it.  

Meanwhile, the authentic Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba’s Facebook page was created in 2017 and has 16,000 likes and 18,000 followers. It has the hotel’s official contact information and the location address, and its reviews date back to 2017. A page review also shows that the hotel did not post such job offers.

Further, the official Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba Facebook page linked on the Hotel’s official website, flagged off the job advertisement as fake and cautioned the public against scammers. 

“Kindly note that someone has created a fake Facebook account with our Facebook page name, giving out fake information about jobs adverts…please don’t be scammed! , it’s not our official account,” reads a statement from Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba, posted on its Facebook page.

This is not the first time a hotel job advertisement scam has appeared on social media platforms. In September 2023, a Facebook page impersonated the Radisson Blu Hotel Juba claiming a job offer on various positions, which 211 Check also debunked as a scam.

Conclusion:

The Facebook job advertisement claiming to be from Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba is a scam. Pyramid Continental Hotel Juba did not advertise for any jobs, and the hotel management termed the job advertisement as fake.

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

Fact-check: Do these tablets contain phenylpropanolamine, as claimed?

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No, the tablets mentioned do not contain PPA. It is a compound that was banned years ago.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A widely forwarded WhatsApp message warning people about different tablets because they contain ‘Phenyl Propanol-Amide, PPA’, which supposedly causes strokes, is false.

“Avoid these tablets; they are very dangerous: D-cold, Vicks Action-500, Actified, Coldarin, Cosome, Nice, Nimulid, and Cetrizet-D. They contain phenyl Propanol-Amide, PPA, which causes strokes and is banned in the USA,” reads the WhatsApp message.

“Please, before deleting, help your friends by passing it. It might help someone. Forward to as many as you can,” it added.

Screenshot of the WhatsApp message claim forwarded widely in the groups 

The same claim can also be traced to a post by a Facebook user in 2017.

Investigation and Research

A keyword search on Google using the words “Does D-cold contain Phenyl Propanol-Amide” returned many results that show the claim is an old issue that has been fact-checked before. The report also stated that “Phenyl Propanol-Amide, PPA” is not correct; instead, the compound is called “PhenylPropanolamine, PPA.” 

In addition to that, the search results returned a statement issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005 that ordered phenylpropanolamine, or PPA, to be removed from drug products and requested drug companies stop selling products with phenylpropanolamine. 

The FDA, further in the statement, recommended that consumers not use any drug containing PPA and urged them to read drug labels to see if the product has PPA instead of relying on outdated lists of products that may have already been reformulated and no longer contain PPA.

In the same search results, in 2017, the Ayup website published a report about the claim, which confirmed that PPA was no longer in the U.S. markets, citing the risk of stroke in younger women.

The composition of the claimed tablets

Several queries on the Google search engine for each of the claimed tablets found product information associated with the tablets.

According to Apollo Pharmacy – India, D-Cold is formulated to provide relief related to cold symptoms such as blocked noses, headaches, body pain, and sore throats, and its ingredients include paracetamol (500 mg), caffeine (32 mg), and phenylephrine (10 mg).

Vicks Action-500’s package composition includes paracetamol I.P. 500 mg, – Diphenhydramine HCl I.P. 25 mg, phenylephrine HCl I.P. 5 mg, and caffeine (anhydrous) I.P. 30 mg.

The Actifed tablet contains active ingredients called phenylephrine hydrochloride, and the cosome is mainly a combination of chlorpheniramine (antihistamine), phenylephrine (decongestant), and dextromethorphan (cough suppressant).

Both Nise and Nimulid are used to relieve pain and fever, and all of them contain Nimesulide. On the other hand, Cetrizet-D contains cetirizine hydrochloride and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.

211Check inquired via email to the Swiss Institute of Therapeutic Products if phenylpropanolamine is still being formulated in human medicine, but it said it has been banned for twenty years in Switzerland.

“Phenylpropanolamine has not been authorised in human medicinal products in Switzerland for twenty years,” the Swiss Institute of Therapeutic Products replied. 

Juba-based medical practitioner with Germany Leprosy and TB Relief Association (GLRA), East Africa regional office with operation in South Sudan, Case Thomas Nicholas, told 211 Check via messaging App that phenylpropanolamine was banned due to health risks, and the drugs listed in the claim have no evidence of containing it.

“Phenylpropanolamine is banned in most countries due to [the] increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke to people taking it. There is no evidence that the drugs you listed contain the substance since it’s no longer recommended for use,” said Thomas.

Conclusion

The claim about tablets that contain phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is an old issue being widely forwarded in WhatsApp groups. In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of phenylpropanolamine by drug or tablet manufacturing companies because of the risk of stroke in young women.

Further, according to the claimed tablets’ product information reviewed by 211 Check reviewed,  none of them contain phenylpropanolamine, or PPA.

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.

Fact-check: This photo showing pupils doing exams in an open space isn’t from Uganda

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The photo was taken in Yirol County of Lakes State, South Sudan.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A post shared on X (formerly Twitter) with a picture of learners doing exams in the open air supposedly taken in Uganda is false. 

“I have been made to understand that these are learners, and they are doing an exam here. Oh, Uganda! May God uphold thee, We lay our future in thy hand. United, free, for liberty together, we’ll always stand,” reads the post by the X user.  

The screenshot of the X post claims

The author of the post did not establish the name or location of the school but quoted part of the Ugandan national anthem. 

Similarly, in another post, the author whose bio suggests that they are a show host based in Western Uganda, also shared the image claiming he’d been informed that the learners in the photo were in ‘primary seven’ which is when candidates typically sit for exams as they finish their primary level in Uganda. 

A school in Uganda, Busede Seed Senior Secondary School, also shared the same photo here with a statement calling on African leaders to unite and address their problems.

Claim Verification:

211 Check ran a Google reverse image search on the photo claim, and it returned Facebook pages that had shared the photo before. Among them is a Facebook post by Holy Cross Comboni Primary School, Yirol, South Sudan which shared the photo in May 2022. 

The image features on the Facebook page as its cover photo. 

The formerly Juba-based television station, JBS, also shared on its Facebook page in April 2023 about pupils at Holy Cross Comboni Primary School in Yirol County of Lakes State in South Sudan when they were writing their exams using the same photo. 

Besides, 211 Check contacted Mr Malek Arol Dhieu, a former teacher at Holy Cross Comboni Primary School, for comment concerning the photo claim, to which he confirmed our findings. 

“Yes, I can confirm the photo was taken from Holy Cross Comboni Primary School in Yirol, but it is old. The building in the background of the photo is a classroom block for the primary one. The pupils were sitting for the exam outside because the class could not accommodate them all, and [also] to avoid exam malpractices,” said Malek.

Conclusion:

The photo showing pupils sitting for exams in an open school compound was taken in South Sudan, not Uganda, as the claim referenced. Holy Cross Comboni Primary School is in Yirol, Lakes State.

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.

Fact-check: This video of a leaking roof isn’t at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda 

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The video is of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

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

Fact-check: Is this picture related to the situation in Congo in 2023?

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No, although it was taken in Zaire, the image was captured in January 1994 and is of a Rwandese boy crying over his dead father. 

Writer: Jibi Moses 

An image circulating on WhatsApp depicting a boy appearing to cry while holding onto an individual lying on the ground, purportedly illustrating the situation in Congo in 2023, is misleading.

The picture, which was first spotted on WhatsApp as a screenshot, has been shared on other platforms, such as Instagram. 

Dear World…..African lives matter please make noice about Congo as you do in some parts of the world. Congo is currently going through genocide 

The screenshot of the image as shared on the WhatsApp group

It has also been shared here and here. 

Claim Verification:

211 Check carried out an image reverse search of the image on Yandex and found that the same image has been on social media before 2023.

The results show that Getty Images posted the image with the description indicating it was captured on January 1, 1994, and credited it to American photographer Peter Turnley.

Getty Images’ photo was titled: ‘Boy Crying over His Dead Father’s Body’

Screenshot of the part of the post as used by Getty Images 

 Screenshot of the details of the picture on Getty Images

The search results for the image on Bing.com also brought up several times the image had been used in the past, such as in 2006, 2011, and 2015. 

Additionally, the same picture was wrongly used by a Zimbabwean outlet but was fact-checked by Fact-CheckZw as not true. The fact-check also linked to a 2012 interview with Turnley, which used a different angle of the photo under investigation. 

Congo conflict 2023:

The DR Congo has been experiencing conflict, mainly in the eastern parts of the country, said to be perpetuated by armed groups. Despite the fact that there are ongoing conflicts in DR Congo orchestrated by militia groups, this picture is not an accurate representation of current events. 

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the picture circulating online purporting to show the situation in the Congo is misleading. The picture was taken in 1994, when a boy was pictured crying over the dead body of his father.

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