The Gates Foundation is pushing back against social media claims that Bill Gates is behind a sudden spike in mosquitoes in Kenya. The rumours, led by politician Paul Muite on X, suggested genetically modified mosquitoes were being released to target malaria, but instead were biting children and the elderly.
Gates Foundation denies claims it’s behind mosquito surge in Kenya
A woman and child sits behind a mosquito net at a field hospital of the International Rescue Committee, IRC, in the town of Dadaab, Kenya, Tuesday, July 26, 2011.
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The foundation was clear: in a statement it said it doesn't release mosquitoes, insisting it doesn’t run labs that do. They stressed that all their work in Kenya follows national laws and local oversight.
Their role, they say, is to support Kenyan-led health priorities, working alongside the government, researchers, and public health partners, not dictate policy or bypass local authorities.
While the social media posts sparked a lot of concern, malaria prevention in Kenya is firmly in the hands of the National Malaria Control Programme, which handles insecticidal nets and indoor spraying.
The Gates Foundation does fund research into innovative tools, like the World Mosquito Program and Target Malaria, but all operations in Kenya are handled by local experts under strict regulation.
With malaria still a major public health challenge, the foundation says it’s crucial for people to separate fact from fiction, and keep the focus on effective, locally-led prevention efforts.