Kenya: U.S. Embassy Cuts Social Media Activity After Funding Lapse
Nairobi — The United States Embassy in Nairobi has suspended most of its social media activity, citing a funding lapse in Washington that has already triggered cutbacks across government operations.
In a notice to the public, the embassy announced that its platforms, including X and Facebook, will not carry regular updates until appropriations are restored.
The Embassy said it will only share urgent safety and security advisories during the shutdown period.
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, this X account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the mission said in a post on X.
The freeze comes amid a political stalemate in Washington, where Republican and Democratic leaders remain locked in a budget dispute that has delayed passage of a new spending bill.
Despite controlling both the White House and Congress, Republicans still require bipartisan support in the Senate to move the package forward. Without cooperation from some Democrats, the funding gridlock could persist for weeks.
According to US media reports, congressional Republicans have proposed a short-term extension of government financing–roughly seven weeks–tied to additional security allocations across federal agencies.
However, the standoff has heightened the risk of a prolonged shutdown, with President Donald Trump and the Office of Management and Budget signaling that non-priority programs, including staff, where money has run out should shed staff.
Such cutbacks are expected to ripple across US missions worldwide, with Nairobi already feeling the impact as its online engagement with the public is scaled back in line with Washington’s budget deadlock.
By Capital FM.
