An image of President William Ruto on the cover of Time Magazine insinuating that he was ranked among the 50 most influential people in the world is false and misleading.
Reports were rife on social media, with several Kenyans congratulating the President who assumed power on September 13, 2022.
In one post, the fake news garnered over 94,000 views, 416 retweets, 41 quote retweets and 1,677 likes.
Unlike the fake report, Time, a US-based news magazine based in New York, released its list of the 100, rather than 50, most influential people worldwide on April 14, 2023.
Famous personalities, from artists, icons, pioneers, leaders, titans, and innovators were recognised.
Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi who won the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, and Elon Musk, the Chief Executive Officer of Tesla and Twitter, were among the notable names.
Some national leaders on the list included the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu.
The only Kenyan on the list was Wanjira Mathai, the daughter of Prof. Wangari Maathai.
Wanjira was recognized for her social impact projects in the areas of land restoration and forestry.
Bezos Earth Fund President Andrew Steer, fronted her name, praising her contribution to women's empowerment.
“For over a decade, I have watched Wanjira work her magic in rural communities and international halls of power.
“Throughout she has focused on restoration—of land, livelihoods, and communities,” Steer noted.
In December 2022, President Ruto was named by BCW’s Twiplomacy as the most influential African leader on the social media platform Twitter.
He was ranked thirteenth worldwide and third among the new world leaders in 2022. BCW’s Twiplomacy was compiled in the 2022 World Leader Power Ranking report by BCW Global.
Therefore, reports claiming Ruto was ranked in Times Magazine's The Fifty Most Influential People is false and misleading.
