NTV anchor James Smart on Tuesday, March 21, called out Embakasi legislator Babu Owino for misleading Kenyans by sharing a video purporting that police had gunned down a protester at Jacaranda Grounds during the mass action.
Smart argued that the video shared by Babu on his official Twitter account went viral and potentially caused tension in the country.
"The tweet had people's attention and generated 200,000 views and had the capacity to mobilise people in a very fluid situation," the journalist stated.
The Member of Parliament (MP) shared a video of a man lying on the ground as two rival groups clashed with the caption, 'Situation at Jacaranda, Embakasi East. Police have shot one dead'.
However, it was evident in the video clip that the man collapsed after being struck by a stone hurled at him by one of the men of the rival group.
As the video gained more views, a section of Kenyans raised questions in the comment section, claiming that the clip was not recorded in Kenya. Babu pulled down the video shortly after.
Smart confirmed that the video was recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August 2022 as two groups clashed in Lingwala, Kinshasa.
The groups clashed over a football match between two rival teams, and the altercation turned deadly as the youths turned against each other with stones and machetes.
Notably, the language used by a woman in the clip was not Kiswahii, but Lingala, which shares striking similarities with Kiswahili since both are part of the greater Bantu community.
Babu admitted to posting the video but denied using the caption. He further claimed that the media outlet was misrepresenting facts.
"This is what I posted, and I quote,' The police killed Maseno university student the way this person was killed in this video'. NTV must stop with the mere statements of puff and misrepresentation of facts,' the MP responded.
However, Kenyans quickly reminded the lawmaker that he used the exact caption and shared screenshots of the same.
Reports by police confirmed that one person was shot dead, a third-year student at Maseno University. A second person was shot in Toi Market in Kibra and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
Officers took responsibility stating that the student, William Mayange, and others stormed the Maseno Police precinct. They claimed they were forced to use live bullets to ward them off after running out of teargas.
The Inspector-General of Police, Japhet Koome, further confirmed that 31 police officers were injured nationwide while scores of protesters were arrested during the mass demonstrations.
