Cambodia Breaks Silence Over Viral ‘Africans Must Leave’ Claim as Government Labels Notice Fake
The Cambodian government has moved swiftly to dismiss a viral claim alleging that all African nationals, including Kenyans, had been ordered to leave the Southeast Asian nation by the end of May, branding the widely circulated notice as “fake news.”
The clarification came on Friday, May 29, after reports emerged on social media and several online platforms claiming that Cambodia’s immigration authorities had issued a directive requiring all Africans residing in the country to depart by May 31, 2026, or face arrest and prosecution.
The purported notice, which rapidly spread across social media networks, alleged that African nationals would no longer be permitted to remain in Cambodia beyond the stated deadline. It further claimed that those found in the country after June 1 would be arrested at airports or other locations and prosecuted under immigration laws.
According to the fabricated document, offenders faced a potential two-year prison sentence, a substantial financial penalty, or both.
The claims triggered concern among African communities living in Cambodia, including students pursuing higher education, entrepreneurs engaged in trade, and workers employed in various sectors of the country’s economy.
However, Cambodia’s authorities have categorically denied issuing any such directive.
In an official statement released through the General Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior, the government described the circulating document as entirely false and warned against the spread of misinformation capable of causing unnecessary panic among both local and international audiences.
Ministry of Interior spokesperson Touch Sokhak strongly rejected the allegations, stressing that the notice did not originate from any government institution.
“It is fake news fabricated to distort the situation and mislead domestic and international audiences,” Sokhak said in the statement.
The department further noted that online reports carrying headlines suggesting Cambodia had ordered Africans to leave the country were inaccurate and should not be treated as official government communication.
Authorities urged citizens, residents, foreign nationals and media organisations to verify immigration-related information through official government channels before sharing or acting on such reports.
The government also reiterated that immigration policies remain unchanged and that no nationality-specific expulsion order has been issued.
The clarification is likely to reassure thousands of foreign nationals living and working in Cambodia, including members of the African community who contribute to sectors such as education, tourism, commerce and small-scale business.
The incident highlights the growing challenge governments face in combating misinformation online, particularly when fabricated documents are presented as official notices and rapidly circulated across social media platforms.
For many Africans living in Cambodia, the government’s intervention has brought relief after hours of uncertainty sparked by the viral claim, with officials insisting that residents should disregard the false notice and rely solely on verified government announcements.
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