A recent viral video appeared to show President William Ruto attending a sermon where a Catholic priest condemned thieves. However, fact-checking by News Hub confirmed that the footage was manipulated. A reverse image search traced the original sermon to a live broadcast by Father Charles Kinyua, a priest from the Archdiocese of Nyeri, on his YouTube channel.
The sermon, part of a “25 Days Novena for Finances, Wealth, and Prosperity,” was livestreamed on October 10, 2024.
Father Kinyua’s sermon addressed issues of theft and corruption, but it took place at a different location, not where President Ruto was during the viral video. In reality, President Ruto was attending a completely unrelated function at State House.
This makes the footage an example of recent misinformation targeting the president that has circulated on social media.
Father Kinyua has an extensive background in religious communication, having previously worked at Radio Waumini FM and currently serving as a producer and director.
His message about thieves was part of a larger spiritual discourse, and there is no link between his sermon and President Ruto’s attendance at any event.
This manipulated video follows other recent instances of misinformation about the Ruto family. For instance, on October 11, Charlene Ruto, President Ruto’s daughter, publicly warned social media users against spreading false claims about her alleged appointment to a government position.
A viral gazette notice claimed that Charlene had been appointed as the board chairperson of the National Mining Corporation, effective October 4, 2024, for a three-year term.
Charlene, however, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to dismiss the notice as fake. She clarified that she has no interest in any government role and is instead creating her own path.
Charlene also corrected the false name used in the viral document and expressed frustration at the misinformation campaign.
Earlier fact-checking by News Hub confirmed that the actual gazette notice published on October 3, 2024, named Joseph Kipchumba Lagat as the appointee to the National Mining Corporation board.
In addition, the font used for Charlene’s name in the viral notice did not match the standard font typically used in official government documents.
These incidents reflect the growing trend of fake news surrounding the Ruto family, causing confusion online and necessitating clarifications from the involved parties.
