Social media users sharing this video on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp claim that it was allegedly filmed in Kenya. The girl in the video is alleged to be escaping female genital mutilation before she was captured and flogged. Similar claims were posted here and here.
Background
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is outlawed in many countries including Kenya where the crime carries a sentence of at least 3 years.
According to a KNBS report, FGM prevalence in Kenya has dropped to 15% in 2022 from 38% 1998. Despite efforts by the government and civil society, FGM remains a problem in Kenya with cases still being reported.
Verification
A reverse image search of key frames of the video reveals that the video was first shared on Twitter on January 20, 2023, with reports that it was recorded in Congo.
An article published on January 23, 2023, by an online news website based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), JuaRDC, places the location of the video in Maniema Province, Eastern DRC.
According to the report, the men carrying rifles in the video belong to the Mai-Mai militia that reportedly banned women from wearing miniskirts and trousers.
A report by France24 published on January 27, 2023, dates the video back to late December or early January when these attacks on women began.
“In late November, the new leader of the Mai Mai Malaika militia, Sheik Kabala Selemani, broadcast a message on a local radio station,” the report reads, “It also circulated as a voice message on phones – explaining that the decision had been made by his militia to no longer see women wearing dresses and short skirts and trousers.”
Verdict
Claims that the video was recorded in Kenya are FALSE.
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