BT FACTCHECK

Altered: Ferdinand Omanyala Did Not Wear A Jersey Written ‘Kenya Kwanza’ During Commonwealth Games

An image being circulated online showing Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala wearing a jersey written Kenya Kwanza is altered.

Kenya Kwanza is a Swahili phrase which means Kenya first, currently a registered political alliance in Kenya led by Deputy President William Ruto.

A reverse image search on Google shows that the original image was first posted online by Sports Africa, a sports news website.

In the original image, Omanyala was celebrating after winning the 100m finals at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Wednesday, August 3, 2022. Omanyala won the first gold medal for Kenya at the event.

Omanyala clocked 10.02 to win the race ahead of continental rival and defending champion Akani Simbine of South Africa.

“I came here with the sole aim of winning the gold and in the final, it was a case of controlling the race from the start. Once I got a good start I knew I would win the gold. When I crossed the line I felt like jumping for joy,” Omanyala said after winning the gold.

Omanyala is currently the African record holder and eighth fastest man of all time in the 100 metres after clocking a time of 9.77 on September 18, 2021, during the Kip Keino Classic Continental tour in Nairobi.

This fact-check was produced by Business Today with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck, African Fact Checking Alliance Network and the United Nations Development Programme.

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