MISSING CONTEXT: This TikTok Video Of President William Ruto Apologising To Kenyans Is Old
Claim: A video shared on TikTok showing President William Ruto apologising to Kenyans is MISSING CONTEXT.
The video, which was shared by Jomwanjesproduction, has the Swahili caption;
“Kenyans hata mkikataa kumsamehe huyu atasamehewa na muumba wetu Mimi kama Genz sina lingine. Let’s give him chance to stay hadi 2027. [Kenyans, even if you refuse to forgive him, he will be forgiven by our creator. I, as a Genz, have no other choice. Let’s give him a chance to stay until 2027]”
This video has also been shared here, here and here.
The video was first sent to Debunk Media via WhatsApp and through an image reverse search, we found out that it was published on TikTok on 16th July 2024. It was also shared as a YouTube Short on 17th July 2024.
FACT CHECK.
We confirmed that it is true that President Ruto made these remarks. By conducting an internet search of the keywords said in the TikTok video, the results led to several speeches made by President Ruto.
It emerged that President Ruto first made the remarks on 21st April 2024 during the burial ceremony of Kenya’s former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Francis Ogolla. In his speech, President Ruto paraphrased what Gen Ogolla had told him in a meeting following an incident that happened on 15th August 2023. Ruto vividly explains that the CDF said to him that;
“…I will not try to defend myself, it was wrong what happened and you have three choices, either send me to court-martial, have me retire or forgive me…”
This speech was recorded by various media houses and people who attended the burial service as seen here, here and here.
Following President Ruto’s speech, some people have deliberately edited specific words from it to claim he made these remarks after the protests in Kenya. A TikToker, “jomwanjesproduction,” inaccurately captioned the video with “President Ruto ready to resign.”
There is no evidence to support this claim. President Ruto has not mentioned or hinted at resigning. The TikTok video, shared on July 16, 2024, features a speech by President Ruto in April 2024.
Verdict.
The video of President William Ruto telling Kenyans that they should either send him to court-martial, retire him or forgive him, has been used in the wrong context. He mentioned these words in reference to a conversation he had with General Ogolla, the former Chief of Defence of Kenya.
This fact-check post was produced by Debunk Media Initiative under the African Fact-Checking Incubator program, with support from PesaCheck, Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, and the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).