On September 18, 2025, a troubling crypto-scam surfaced when a brief post from former Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s verified X account announced a new cryptocurrency called “Kenya Token” (symbol $KENYA). The post included a video that appeared to show Odinga endorsing the token, but it was rapidly deleted amid signs of foul play.
Further checks revealed that the video was very likely a deepfake, and that Odinga’s account had been compromised. The post claimed that Kenya would lead Africa in the crypto revolution—a claim not backed by any government body or regulatory agency. Critically, the token was promoted via X and Telegram, but had no contract address, no on-chain history, and little transparency.
The scam exploited several vulnerabilities: strong social media followership (Odinga has 2 million+ followers), trust in a public figure, and the allure of fast financial gains. Reports say about 20% of the token’s supply was snapped up shortly after the post went live. Observers flagged the urgency of regulatory oversight and the risks that generative AI, deepfake content, and compromised high-profile accounts pose in spreading fraudulent crypto projects.
In response, Odinga issued a statement saying his account had been hacked and that the video was not authentic. Meanwhile, Kenyan crypto watchers are warning the public: always verify announcements from official sources, examine whether token projects have proper documentation (whitepapers, contract addresses), and be skeptical when high-profile endorsements appear without formal government confirmation. The incident is also likely to accelerate legislative action, including Kenya’s Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, which is expected to come up for further debate soon.
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