Did Ruto’s wife move out from their home in Karen after a heated argument?
Kenyans.co.ke tapped into the skills of digital media expert Brian Muuo to research the photo which has gone viral on political circles in social media and sparked debate about its controversial title, Rachel in hiding? which was in reference to Deputy President William Ruto’s spouse.
The article claimed that Ruto’s marriage was on the rocks and that Rachel was no longer living in their official residence in the leafy suburbs of Karen, Nairobi.
The article alleged:
Nobody has seen Rachel since the beginning of March this year. She was last seen taking off with the rest of the family after a heated fight.
Completely fake.
It was verified that the viral image that has polarised social media users is false. The affected media house also termed the image as fake on its Twitter handle.
The legitimate cover story of The Standard newspaper of May 27, 2020, is about former Prime Minister Raila Odinga speaking about collaborating with President Uhuru Kenyatta in a government of national unity.
The story was not in the physical newspaper.
The falsified cover also claimed that page 4 of the newspaper bore the whole story about Ruto’s wife but the real physical newspaper did not carry the story.
Further, the power couple held special prayers for the Covid-19 pandemic at their Karen home on April 26, 2020 which discredits claims that Rachel had moved out in March.
They had special prayers in April.
As we continue the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, we pray for those who have lost their loved ones, and commit to God those that are infected.
The DP’s spouse shared, adding photos of the two during the service.
We pray for our medical workers who are in the frontline in tackling the outbreak. We have faith that we will win this battle soon and our country will return to normalcy.
Fake news on the rise.
Kenyans on social media are increasingly falling for fake news and sharing the same to friends and family without taking time to verify.
In Kenya, the government has also moved to fight the propagation of fake news by drafting laws that stipulate stiff penalties for culprits of false information.
In early 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta enacted the Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017 providing a two-year jail term or Ksh5 million fine for spreading fake news.
Clause 12 of the new law read:
A person who intentionally publishes false, misleading or fictitious data or misinforms with the intent that the data shall be considered or acted upon as authentic, with or without any financial gain, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.
You can also read MP Has Denied Sponsoring A Motion To Impeach Ruto And Says It’s Propaganda
(H/T Kenyan news)