A video that circulated online on Friday morning, September 9 claiming that President-elect William Ruto called former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to wish him quick recovery is fake and misleading.
Originally posted on Facebook by a page titled Kennedy Murithi Bindi, the video alleged that Ruto checked on the progress of Raila who fell from a treadmill while exercising at his Karen home on Tuesday, September 6.
"I was informed about the incident that occurred. I take this opportunity to wish you a quick recovery. We are all with you during this tough time, continue trusting in God and God bless you," Ruto stated.
On the other line, Raila was portrayed to be thanking Ruto for his goodwill.
The video posted on the Facebook page was pulled down after it was circulated widely on social media pages and Whatsapp.
Reverse Search
However, a fact-check by Kenyans.co.ke indicated that the video was doctored to put the two leaders in a fake phone conversation.
A reverse search of the video indicated that it has been shared several times, from 2019 to 2022 with content creators editing it to suit different agendas.
One of the videos posted on a YouTube page - Kenothia Mokorino - garnered nearly 2,000 views on January 21, 2020.
A similar video on another YouTube page - Janja la Mjini Tv - which has 92,000 subscribers got 10,000 views in five hours on Friday, September 9, 2022.
The video was captioned WILLIAM RUTO WINS THE HEART OF KENYANS AFTER CALLING RAILA ODINGA LIVE TO WISH HIM QUICK RECOVERY!
Raila's Facial Appearance
Raila's swollen face elicited mixed reactions after his photos with President Uhuru Kenyatta were shared on Tuesday, September 6.
In the pictures, the former prime minister had swellings on the left side of his face and the lips appeared swollen.
Insiders explained that the injuries were occasioned by Raila falling from his treadmill while exercising.
Ruto and Raila phone call
Ruto on Monday, August 15, detailed that he reached out to the former Prime Minister prior to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declaring him president-elect.
That was the last public information on Ruto's phone call to Raila.
Deep Fake and Video Edits
Graphic experts, digital strategists, and fact-checkers all note that deep fakes and video edits are some of the current trends in the spread of fake news.
A deep fake is a video in which a person's face or body is digitally altered and is used to spread false information. Videos and audio can also be edited to suit certain agendas.
The video of Ruto calling Raila to follow up on his health progress is thus false and misleading.
