Following the release of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, a photo of COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli posing with a young man went viral on social media, sparking widespread speculation.
The image quickly fueled rumours that Atwoli had gifted a relative a KSh 5 million Toyota Prado after the student allegedly performed exceptionally well in the national examinations.
However, Atwoli moved swiftly to dismiss the claims, urging the public not to jump to conclusions based solely on social media posts.
He clarified that the viral photograph should not be taken as evidence of any such gift, describing the assumptions as misleading and unfounded.
The rumours emerged just hours after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba officially released the 2025 KCSE results on Friday, January 9, at Chebisaas High School in Eldoret.
According to the results, overall performance improved compared to the previous year. A total of 1,932 candidates scored a straight A, up from 1,693 in 2024. National schools dominated the top grades, producing 1,526 A students.
Additionally, 270,715 candidates attained a mean grade of C+ and above, qualifying them for direct university entry. This figure represents approximately 27 per cent of the nearly 993,000 candidates who sat for the examinations.
The Atwoli incident highlights how quickly misinformation can spread online, especially during emotionally charged moments such as the release of national exam results.
His response serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying facts before sharing or drawing conclusions, particularly when public figures and celebratory events intersect.
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Education