ODM leader Raila Odinga found himself at the centre of controversy on Thursday, September 18, after his X account shared, and later deleted, a post announcing the launch of a national digital coin.
The move has sparked speculation about whether his account was hacked or if it was connected to the rollout of the digital asset.
Raila’s verified account posted a message and a video introducing 'Kenya Token,' describing it as the country’s official entry into the crypto space.
"We are pleased to announce that the Kenya Token will soon launch. A new digital asset aimed at improving our financial system and supporting economic growth. Kenya is stepping up to lead Africa into the crypto revolution, embracing digital finance and shaping a more crypto-friendly future. The Official token will be launched on Solana," the X post read.
Additionally, the account shared a video showing Raila himself making the announcement and promoting the coin.
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"As the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, I am proud to announce that we will soon launch a new digital coin, an ambitious step towards strengthening financial systems and supporting sustainable economic growth across Kenya, Africa, and the rest of the world.
"Kenya is ready to embrace the future. The Kenya Token will position our nation at the forefront of Africa’s crypto revolution," he said.
But doubts quickly surfaced about its authenticity as it displayed signs of AI manipulation, including unnatural blinking, a static posture, and twitching fingers.
Hours later, the post was deleted; Raila then retweeted a post from Money Academy that claimed his account had been compromised.
"Somebody hacked Raila Odinga’s Twitter account and made a deep fake to scam people. Don’t fall for it, it’s a scam," the post by Money Academy read.
However, a spot-check by Nairobileo.co.ke showed that ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo had in July announced the launch of the Kenya Digital Token (KDT), which, notably, shares striking similarities with what Raila’s post had described.
KDT, developed by private innovators on the Meteora decentralized platform and denoted by the ticker $KDT, is designed to process thousands of transactions per second at minimal fees.
Kabogo welcomed the project, describing it as a milestone in Kenya’s digital transformation.
"I welcome the launch of the Kenya Digital Token as a bold private sector step to expand our digital economy. Though not a government initiative, it aligns with our policy framework for virtual assets and supports our vision of a transparent, secure, and well-regulated ecosystem.
"Crucially, it speaks to the bottom-up economic transformation agenda by empowering youth, fostering inclusion, and driving innovation. If structured responsibly, the Kenya Digital Token can unlock opportunities in micro-investment, community value creation, and digital engagement, particularly in underserved regions," he said.
The parallels between Raila’s deleted announcement and Kabogo’s recognition of the coin have fueled intense debate.
Ultimately, the lingering question is whether Raila’s account was genuinely hacked or deliberately used to amplify the project.
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