1.5 million people who greeted Ruto in Homa Bay were Nigerians

By Lucy Mwangi and Jacob Nyukuri

Anti-government protests that rocked parts of the country over the rising cost of living witnessed tragic events during violnt clashes between demonstrators and police. The protests marked the third round of opposition-led demonstrations in the month.

The protests provided fodder for spread of false narratives and counter narratives on social media. Known individuals with large following on social media, deliberately shared misleading content. The Media Observer desk investigated some of the incidents between July 17 – 23, 2023.

1. A tweet purporting to show an image of diplomats leaving Kenya in anticipation of the Azimio protests was false. A reverse image search of the photo revealed the image was captured and first shared on July 17, 2013, on Vanderbilt University Athletics’ official website, which is the Athletic Site of the Vanderbilt Commodores. It documented a significant event when approximately 30 Commodore student-athletes and support staff embarked on a journey to Africa, starting from Nashville. As part of their journey, they boarded Kenya Airways, the national flag carrier airline of Kenya, en route to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The image is a part of the series of photos showcasing their travels to different destinations in Africa.

2. A tweet purporting to show an image of over 1.5 million people gathered in Homa Bay County to attend an address delivered by President William Ruto was misleading. On July 15, 2023, Ruto was in Homa Bay for the homecoming ceremony of Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo at Oriwo Boys High School in Kanyipir, Karachuonyo Constituency.A reverse image search confirms the image was initially shared in an article by Gulf News, a renowned daily English language newspaper published in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The article, published on March 27, 2016, reported on the remarkable event at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, Nigeria, during a thrilling Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match between Nigeria and Egypt.

3. A tweet purporting to show trees chopped down in Kinale Forest in Kiambu was false. A reverse image search uncovered that frame one depicts a section of the Mau Forest, severely damaged due to logging. This image was initially shared in an article by Nation Africa on August 24, 2015, with updates provided on June 29, 2020. The second frame showcases the breath-taking Kinale Forest, located approximately 60km from Nairobi along the Nairobi-Naivasha highway. The image captures a scene of harvesting in progress, Kenya Forest Service confirmed to The Media Observer. The photograph was taken on July 14, 2023. The third frame captures an ongoing operation at a pine plantation in Chemususu Forest, Baringo County. The image was shared in a tweet by KFS on July 16, 2023. The post depicts the harvesting of over-mature exotic pine species.Pines are exotic, intentionally planted for harvesting once they reach maturity.

4. A video circulating on Twitter claiming to depict Embakasi East MP Babu Owino arrest at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on July 18 in anticipation of the Azimio protests is false. The Media Observerteam uncovered that the video was originally posted on Citizen TV Kenya’s YouTube channel on September 27, 2017. The footage captures the events following the re-arrest of Owino, shortly after he was released by a Nairobi magistrate court. He was subsequently arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts, where he faced charges of subversion and offensive conduct and incitement to violence.

5. A Twitter image claiming to depict Thika Road blocked during the Azimio demonstrations was misleading.Upon conducting a reverse image search, The Media Observerteam ascertained that the image initially surfaced on May 3, 2023, through a tweet by Kenyans.co.ke. The image captured the resourceful act of Migori residents who constructed walls using mud and stones, aiming to preserve the integrity of the tarmac while participating in the latest series of protests organized by led Raila Odinga.

6. A photo circulated on social media purporting to depict digital dtrategist Dennis Itumbi in the hospital after wishing Azimio leader Raila Odinga a ‘quick recovery’ was false and not recent as claimed.A reverse image search revealed that a video in which the photo originated was uploaded on Gusii Digital News’s YouTube channel on December 25, 2021, when Itumbi was in Nairobi West Hospital after allegedly being abducted and tortured on December 23, 2021.He was abducted as he left a barbershop in Thindigua, Kiambu. Hours later, he was found by a taxi driver, naked and limping in the Lucky Summer area near Kasarani stadium.

7. An image widely shared on Twitter depicting a man purported to be a police officer masquerading as a journalist was misleading.Through a reverse image search, we established the person captured jumping off a police car as Clint Obere, an accredited journalist working for Africa Uncensored. The incident came to light during the coverage of opposition-led demonstrations in Mathare, Nairobi County, on March 27, 2023, where journalists Calvin Rock and Obere were arrested. The discovery was made based on a tweet shared on March 30 by ForumCiv, a Swedish organization extending support to civil society across more than 70 countries. On July 20, 2023, John-Allan Namu, the investigative journalist and co-founder of Africa Uncensored, took to Twitter to dismiss the claim. He clarified that the person in the image, Obere, is, in fact, a credible journalist from Africa Uncensored, and not a police officer.