Monday, February 09, 2026 - The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has dismissed allegations made by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, who claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that the organization had released genetically modified mosquitoes in Nairobi.
In a statement issued on Monday, February 9th,
the foundation categorically denied the claims, stressing that it does not
operate mosquito‑release programs in Kenya or anywhere else.
“The Gates Foundation is aware of social media posts
claiming that we release mosquitoes in Kenya. This claim is false.”
“The Gates Foundation does not release mosquitoes, operate
laboratories that do so, or run vector‑control activities in Nairobi or
anywhere else,” the statement read.
The foundation clarified that malaria prevention and control
initiatives in Kenya are led by local authorities and institutions under
national laws and regulatory oversight.
It emphasized that its role is limited to supporting Kenyan‑led
priorities transparently and responsibly, working alongside governments,
researchers, and public health partners.
Muite had alleged that Nairobi was “flooded with mosquitoes
released from your laboratories to eliminate the malaria‑carrying ones we’re
told,” adding that the insects were “busy biting children and the elderly.”
Experts note that gene drive technology - a new genetic tool - is being explored globally to fight malaria by either reducing mosquito populations or making them incapable of carrying the parasite.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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