• Many media reports claim Lesotho has the world’s highest suicide rate, often citing a 2019 World Health Organization figure of 87.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

• But such rates are only meaningful when supported by complete and reliable data — which Lesotho does not yet have.

• Unlike countries such as the UK and Japan, which record every death with a legally verified cause, Lesotho lacks a complete civil registration system making accurate suicide counts — and global rankings — impossible. 

This report was produced during the 2025 Africa Check fellowship in Nairobi, Kenya, generously supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. 

• Kenyan president William Ruto, under growing pressure to deliver on his pre-election promises, appeared before parliament on 20 November 2025 to give his third national address since taking office in September 2022.

• Ruto was accurate about inflation slowing down and the hiring of tens of thousands of teachers. He was also mostly correct about the growth of the education budget.

• But his claim that Kenya was on par “in nearly every measurable way” with Singapore, Malaysia and other Asian countries in 1963 when Kenya gained independence does not hold up.

• The president's figures on maize production, sugarcane acreage, sugar production and imports, and tea earnings were also incorrect.

Headlines often repeat big, attention-grabbing numbers — like claims that Lesotho has “the highest suicide rate in the world”. But as our fact-checking fellow recently showed, numbers like these only matter when they’re backed by complete, reliable data.

When records are patchy or incomplete, the story can quickly drift away from the truth.

This is why Africa Check exists: to look beyond headlines, challenge assumptions, and ensure the public gets accurate information.

If you value clear, evidence-based reporting, please consider supporting our work. Your donation helps us train fact-checkers, boost media literacy, and counter misleading claims across the continent.

Donate today and help keep trustworthy information in the spotlight.

Every Monday at 20h30, Africa Check brings you verified facts you can trust on Vuma FM.

Africa Check researcher Philile Ntombela launched the new slot by debunking two viral claims:

• A widely shared photo supposedly showing a Mozambican woman arrested in Johannesburg – it’s not her, and the sources promoting it aren’t reliable.
• Reports that outgoing NPA head Shamila Batohi called her term a “horror movie” – completely false.

Tune in every Monday at 20h30 to stay ahead of misinformation.

The 9th of December marks International Anti-Corruption Day, a moment to spotlight the impact of corruption and the challenges, injustices and inequalities it fuels.

In Nigeria, 73% of the population believe that “most” or “all” police officials are corrupt, making the police the least trusted of the 11 institutions surveyed by the Global Corruption Barometer Africa survey.

Explore key facts about corruption and more with Africa Check’s Info Finder. Equip yourself with verified information today.

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, despite being widely shared.

CORRECT: When a plane carrying more than 150 Palestinians landed in South Africa in November 2025, the Gift of the Givers offered assistance. Soon after, several social media users posted a quote attributed to the NGO’s founder Imtiaz Sooliman, saying he follows Islamic law and “Islamic law overrides any other law”. The accuracy of the quote has been disputed, but it is what Sooliman said. 

FALSE: Posts circulating online claim that South Africa has introduced new driving licence renewal rules for seniors, including compulsory medical tests and automatic suspension for anyone who misses a 30 November 2025, are false. 

FALSE: A Facebook video claims boiling Coca-Cola with red onion and drinking it warm can cure influenza. While the drink may feel soothing, there is no evidence it treats flu.

FALSE:Videos on social media suggest wearing a sanitary pad with mayonnaise spread over it will treat symptoms of vaginal infections. But these infections usually require medical attention, and foods or chemicals in or near the vagina can further disrupt its natural balance. 

FALSE: A Facebook post claims that massaging pressure points on your feet can cure conditions such as visual impairment or back and joint pain. But there is no solid evidence for this, and delaying proper treatment can worsen underlying health problems. 

FALSE: Posts online claim that South Africa is introducing a new R1,000 banknote and that the R200 note will be “no more”. Some versions also claim the note would debut at the G20 summit. None of this is true. 

Kenya 🇰🇪

FALSE: A video making the rounds on social media shows Kenyan musician Akothee seemingly promoting an “innovative” joint-pain treatment endorsed by a Kenyan doctor. But the video is a fabrication designed to market a dubious product.

FAKE: A letter shared online in early November 2025 claims that DAP-K fired some officials, including party leader Eugene Wamalwa and appointed new interim leaders. But the Kenyan political party has said the letter as fake.

SCAM: A TikTok page posting unusually cheap appliances from the Hotpoint firm in Kenya, with flexible payment plans to boot, is not official. It has been flagged by Hotpoint as both fake and fraudulent.

Nigeria 🇳🇬

FALSE: A post circulating on Facebook in late November 2025 claims that jihadists have attacked Sokoto, a city in Nigeria’s north-west region, targeting the prison holding Biafra separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu. But there is no evidence of the attack.

FALSE: A claim that joining the army could be made mandatory for Nigerians aged 18 and above has gone viral after multiple AI-generated videos showed military chiefs making the statement. But the claim is false.   

FAKE: While the NYSC has urged corps members to prioritise their safety when travelling between states, it has not advised them to prepare ransom payments for certain roads.

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Your weekly dose of facts in newsletter form is created by Laura Kapelari (@laurakapelari). It is edited by Lee Mwiti (@LMAfrican) and Cayley Clifford (@cayleyclifford).