How a decade-old photo sparked false claims about Kiir’s family

JUBA – A decade-old photograph of President Salva Kiir with Kenyan journalist Zubeidah Kananu has resurfaced online, fueling false claims that a Facebook page called “Aluel Salva Kiir” is operated by one of the President’s daughters. Investigation shows that the page uses misappropriated images and has no verifiable link to the First Family.

Claim

The page, which has attracted more than 42,000 followers, recently published a statement purportedly responding to the political decision of veteran SPLM politician Nhial Deng Nhial, who announced his departure from the ruling party to form a new political organization.

The page’s administrator identifies herself as “Aluel,” claiming to be part of the President’s family. To support this identity, the page features a cover photo showing President Kiir seated with a woman, implying a familial relationship.

Verification

A review of publicly available information shows no record confirming that President Kiir has a daughter named Aluel. None of the President’s known children or publicly acknowledged relatives bear that name.

A Google Lens reverse image search reveals that the profile photo of the Facebook account does not belong to any member of the Kiir family but rather to Nqobile Khwezi, a South African media personality and influencer first posted here on 12^th June, 2025. The cover photo, which has been used to lend the page credibility, shows President Kiir with Zubeidah Kananu, a journalist and television anchor with Kenya Television Network (KTN).

Although some users on Facebook, including one Riak Gok Majok, defended the page and insisted that “Aluel” is indeed the President’s daughter, the claim was countered by Ateny Wek Ateny, the former Press Secretary in the Office of the President.

Ateny clarified that the woman in the image was a Kenyan journalist, not a family member, and stated that the photo was taken at the Office of the President in February 2020, shortly after the death of Kenya’s former President Daniel arap Moi.

However, a closer digital verification contradicts Ateny’s date. The same image first appeared online in August 2014 on a WordPress blog called KahawaTungu, indicating that it has been available on the internet for over a decade. This means the photo predates the 2020 timeline and has since been repurposed for misleading online claims.

There is therefore no credible evidence linking the Facebook page “Aluel Salva Kiir” to the President’s family, and both the profile and cover photos have been misappropriated from unrelated public sources.

Conclusion

The Facebook page “Aluel Salva Kiir” is not affiliated with President Salva Kiir Mayardit or his family. The account’s profile photo belongs to a South African influencer, while the cover image shows the President with a Kenyan journalist during a past media engagement.

The claim that the page represents one of the President’s daughters is false. The account is an impersonation attempt that uses unrelated images to deceive the public and gain credibility online.

Verdict: False — Misleading and Impersonation

This case underscores the increasing challenge of misinformation and impersonation on social media, where old or unrelated content is often recycled to spread false narratives about public figures.