A viral claim circulating on social media suggests that Hustler fund debts would be directly deducted from Mpesa mobile money transfer service.
The claim was shared on Facebook in the Kenya Political Forum on 1st February at 10:05 PM by an individual named George Pinto . The grassroot factfinder has since established that the claim is false. The claim was also shared by Alinur Mohamed on his X handle
In 2022, the government initiated the Hustler Fund a program backed by KSh50 billion (approximately US$409 million) with the goal of offering affordable loans, particularly to small businesses, at an annual interest rate of 8%. This initiative, a pledge made by Kenyan president William Ruto during the lead-up to the August 2022 elections, was originally intended to be entirely interest-free.
President William Ruto spoke about the issue of hustler fund especially over the rising rate of default by Kenyans who had not yet repaid their fund debt on 25th August 2023 according to The Daily Newspaper. He further stated that the pending unpaid hustler fund may affect the new product facility known as Hustler Fund Group Loan. From His statements He didn’t mention the claim.
An examination of the terms and conditions of the hustler fund reveals no provision for direct deductions from M-Pesa accounts. Furthermore, a quick search of the claim on Safaricom Official Facebook and X pages did not bear any results.
Similar graphic circulating on TikTok, featuring Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki is manipulated. Grassroot factfinder established that the original graphic shared by Citizen TV was edited to include the digital logo to further misinform the public.
Safaricom PLC , through their official Facebook page have refuted the claim.
Africa Check has also fact checked the claim and established that it is not true.
In conclusion, the claim of the government deducting its hustler fund debt directly from individuals’ M-Pesa accounts is false and lacks credibility. It is essential to verify information from reliable sources before spreading it further on social media platforms.
Fact Checked by Hilda Ajema
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