Fake: National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has not been hospitalised

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi who is also the Democratic Party of Kenya presidential aspirant in Nyeri on October 26, 2021. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

A tweet claiming National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has been hospitalised is fake.

The tweet by @CisNyakundi claims that Muturi, who has also declared his ambition to vie for president, has been rushed to the MP Shah Hospital in a Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) ambulance for treatment for an unspecified illness. It also claims that heavy security has been deployed to the hospital on account of Muturi's admission.

"National Assembly Speaker & Presidential Aspirant Justin Muturi rushed to MP Shah Hospital in an NMS Ambulance. Heavy security around the area," the tweet sent on Wednesday afternoon stated.

The tweet had been retweeted 66 times and had attracted 12 comments and 227 likes.

However, the claims are fake.

To verify the information, we contacted Muturi who explained that he sustained a muscle injury after straining his arm while picking his phone off the floor.

"I have been feeling some pain in my right arm since the incident a few months back, the pain is not excruciating but sometimes, it takes me a few attempts before I raise or wave with the hand, maybe its a muscle strain, I needed to check with the orthopaedics," said Muturi. 

The National Assembly, through its verified Twitter account, dismissed the report as misinformation.

"This is Fake News, Such an unfortunate rumour. The @SpeakerJBMuturi is as fit as a fiddle," the tweet said.

Further, at the time the reports were circulating, Muturi was presiding over the afternoon session of the National Assembly.

One of the comments on the tweet suggested that Muturi had indeed been to the hospital but had driven himself there.