CLAIM: Video shows Kenya Deputy President William Ruto saying, “I have grown my career from corruption.”
AP’S ASSESSMENT: Altered video. The audio in the clip has been manipulated to substitute in the word “corruption.” The original interview shows Ruto saying, “I have grown my career from nothing.”
THE FACTS: Social media users are sharing a manipulated video that distorts the words of Ruto, who is running for president in the country’s Aug. 9 election.
The altered video, which was shared in posts on Twitter and TikTok, used audio editing to change Ruto’s words in a recent interview.
The original video was published by BBC Africa earlier this month. In an interview with journalist Emmanuel Igunza, Ruto argued he did not hail from politically known families like others in Kenyan politics.
“To put it much more clearly, I have grown my career from nothing,” Ruto said. “And I have climbed the ranks and learned the hard way to where I am today.”
The BBC interview did involve discussion about corruption: Igunza asked Ruto to respond to claims that the deputy president isn’t strong on the issue.
“We have a solid plan on dealing firmly, decisively and conclusively with corruption,” Ruto responded.
Ruto is seeking to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is backing Ruto’s rival, Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Kenyan elections often end in legal suits and a fiercely fought election in 2007 sparked ethnic violence in which more than 1,000 people were killed.
___
This is part of AP’s effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP.
Discussion about this post