Startling revelations have emerged from an investigative report by an international consortium of journalists, which exposes a group of Israeli disinformation contractors for hacking into the email and social media accounts of senior election officials and President William Ruto’s close allies just days before the 2022 polls. The disinformation experts, led by Israeli national Tal Hanan, are said to have manipulated dozens of elections across the world.
In a bid to unravel the operations of the Israeli group, journalists posed as potential clients and held several meetings with them, some of which were secretly recorded. The Israeli team demonstrated their expertise in spreading disinformation by hacking into Telegram accounts owned by two high-ranking officials in President Ruto’s campaign team. Once in, the group, known as Team Jorge, sent messages aimed at sowing seeds of division in rival campaign teams.
William Ruto and presidential candidate for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Kenya Kwanza political coalition, speaks after being declared the winner of Kenya’s presidential election
The report reveals that the Israeli group had interfered with 33 presidential elections globally through disinformation, claiming to have had their way in 27 of the elections. In addition to election meddling, the group works for corporate clients, and it’s alleged to have been hired by a political party in an ongoing election in Africa, although the country is undisclosed.
it has been established that digital campaign strategist Dennis Itumbi was one of Ruto’s allies who had their social media accounts hacked. Itumbi’s Telegram account was hacked and used to spread disinformation. The Israeli group has boasted of interfering with 33 presidential elections through disinformation, claiming that it had its way in 27 of the elections.
Although the report doesn’t indicate whether Team Jorge was contracted by any of the four presidential candidates in the Kenyan elections, the Israeli outfit has a remote association with two of the coalition parties. Defunct disinformation group Cambridge Analytica had expressed interest in working with Team Jorge for Jubilee Party in the 2017 General Election.
Despite the shocking revelations, the Supreme Court upheld President Ruto’s win in the 2022 elections and dismissed hacking allegations as mere “hot air.” However, the report has stirred widespread concern among Kenyans, with many advocating for tighter regulations on election campaigns and enhanced cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks
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