The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has moved swiftly to shut down viral social media claims alleging it has released genetically modified mosquitoes in Kenya, calling the accusations “false, misleading and unfounded.”
In a firm statement issued Monday, the foundation clarified that it does not release mosquitoes anywhere in the world, does not operate laboratories that do so, and runs no vector-control activities in Nairobi or any other part of Kenya. The denial comes amid a flurry of sensational posts on X (formerly Twitter) alleging that lab-released mosquitoes were “chewing” children and the elderly in the capital.
“The Gates Foundation does not release mosquitoes, operate laboratories that release mosquitoes, or conduct vector-control activities in Kenya,” the organisation said, stressing that malaria prevention and control efforts in the country are led exclusively by Kenyan authorities and institutions, under national laws and regulatory oversight.
The foundation explained that its role in Kenya is limited to supporting Kenyan-led public health priorities, working transparently with government agencies, researchers and health partners—not implementing field operations.
The viral claims, some of which suggested a conspiracy to release mosquitoes in order to later profit from malaria drugs, were dismissed as dangerous misinformation that risks undermining public trust in science and public health.
While the foundation acknowledged supporting global research into emerging malaria-fighting tools—such as gene drive technology—it emphasized that these efforts are scientist-led, highly regulated, and not deployed in Kenya. Gene drive, it noted, is part of a broader pipeline of innovations being explored by African scientists alongside bed nets, vaccines, repellents and improved surveillance.
Malaria still kills nearly 600,000 people annually, most of them African children. “No single tool can eradicate malaria,” the foundation said, warning that drug resistance, insecticide resistance and climate change threaten hard-won gains.
As Kenya grapples with disease control and climate pressures, the foundation urged the public to rely on verified information and trust Kenyan institutions steering the fight against malaria—not viral rumours that spread fear faster than facts.
