A bizarre rumour about men's genitals suddenly shrinking or disappearing has been linked to deadly mob attacks across parts of Africa.
More than 80 people were killed between October 2025 and July 2026 after people were falsely accused of so-called 'genital theft'. The death toll was compiled using police data from six African countries, while reports of the wider panic have emerged across eight countries.
The false claim says that a stranger can make a man's penis or testicles shrink or vanish, sometimes simply by touching him. There is no medical evidence that another person can make someone's genitals disappear this way.
How the 'Disappearing Penis' Rumour Spread
The latest wave of claims appears to have started in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2025. Similar rumours had also appeared there in 2008, showing that the belief existed long before the current social media panic.
The recent rumours then spread into Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi and Kenya. Videos and warnings posted on TikTok and Facebook helped the stories move quickly between communities and across national borders.
Some videos show men claiming that their penis or testicles became smaller or vanished after meeting a stranger. Crowds have then turned on the person accused of causing it, sometimes demanding that the supposed 'stolen' body part be returned.
Innocent People Have Been Attacked
Tanzanian mechanic Boniface Mgala became one of the people caught in the panic. On 1 April, he and a friend travelled to Tunduma to meet a client about the sale of a car and stopped at a restaurant for lunch.
A crowd dragged the two men outside after accusing them of stealing another man's genitals. Mgala recalled people shouting that they had 'stolen someone's genitals' as the crowd surrounded them.
Mgala survived the attack, but his friend was killed. His case shows how a claim with no proven medical basis can turn into real violence when a frightened crowd believes an accused person has somehow caused another person's body to change.
Mozambique Saw Worst Violence
Mozambique has been among the countries hit hardest by the panic. Police said in May that 55 people had been killed in only six weeks during violence linked to the rumours.
The victims reportedly included a police officer, healthcare workers and civil servants. President Daniel Chapo condemned the killings, while authorities said they had found no medical evidence showing that anyone had actually lost a body part.
The violence also reached Kenya. Five people were reported killed in coastal areas as the false claims spread, while authorities warned that social media posts were helping the panic grow.
Kenyan Officials Say the Claims Are False
Officials in Mombasa have directly rejected claims that men's genitals are being made to disappear. County Commissioner Mohamed Noor said investigations had found the stories to be baseless and warned residents against attacking people over them.
Authorities checked hospitals and health centres and found no confirmed cases of anyone losing their genitals. In one case, police arrested a man who claimed his genitals had disappeared, but an examination found that he had not lost anything.
Officials have also said criminals may be taking advantage of the fear. They warned that false claims can create chaos that allows people to attack victims, steal property or loot businesses.
Why Can Someone Believe Their Penis Is Shrinking?
There is a recognised condition called Koro, or genital retraction syndrome. A person with the condition can have an intense belief or fear that their penis is shrinking or retracting into their body.
Medical research has documented Koro in several parts of the world. It has often been linked to strong anxiety and cultural beliefs, and outbreaks of similar fears have occurred when rumours spread through communities.
This does not mean every person making a 'genital theft' claim has Koro. There can be different reasons for such claims, and only a qualified health professional can assess an individual case.
