Kenya: Old Video Used As False Evidence of 2024 Rift Between Kenyan President and His Deputy

26 June 2024
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Grace Gichuhi

Old video used as false evidence of 2024 rift between Kenyan president and his deputy

IN SHORT: A misleading video claims that Rigathi Gachagua has bitterly criticised his boss, William Ruto, for being proud. However, the video is from October 2020 and shows Gachagua addressing former interior minister Fred Matiang'i.

A video posted on social media shows Kenyan deputy president Rigathi Gachagua allegedly criticising president William Ruto.

The Kiswahili text placed on the video reads: "Ruto umekuwa na kiburi na Uhuru Kenyatta alikupea kazi." This translates to: "Ruto, you have become proud yet it is Uhuru Kenyatta who gave you a job."

Uhuru Kenyatta was president from 2013 to 2022, when Ruto, his deputy, succeeded him.

In the video, Gachagua says: "Uhuru Kenyatta akakuwa president, halafu akakupatia kazi, sasa wewe umekuwa mkubwa, umekuwa na kiburi, na unajipiga kifua, eti wewe ni bwana mkubwa, si wazungu walikuwa hapa na wakaenda? Power is very temporary, ukipewa power, tumia kusaidia."

This translates to: "Uhuru Kenyatta became president, he then gave you a job, and now you have become powerful, you have become proud and are thumping your chest. Weren't the whites here? Didn't they leave? Power is very temporary. When given power, use it to help."

It is not clear from the video who Gachagua is addressing. However, the relationship between him and Ruto appears to be tense and strained.

Several incidents and public statements highlight the discord between them. For example, there have been disagreements over budget allocations and policy priorities. Gachagua's office has also received a reduced budget for the 2024/25 financial year, suggesting that it may be sidelined compared to the previous year.

The video appears here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of this report.)

But does the widely circulated video show Gachagua bitterly addressing Ruto? We checked.

Misleading Video

A reverse image search of keyframes from the video using the InVid search tool shows that a similar video was uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) on 15 October 2020.

The video, published by the Nation news agency, shows Gachagua addressing Fred Matiang'i, the former interior cabinet secretary, and not Ruto.

In the video, Gachagua refers to Ruto as deputy president, consistent with the period when Kenyatta was president and Ruto his deputy.

The resurfaced video has been misrepresented as showing the current political tensions between Gachagua and Ruto, but it is actually from a different time and situation.

The same video can be found here, here, here, here and here.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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