Fact Check: No, Ruto hasn’t been ranked as Africa’s best orator

Deputy President of Kenya William Ruto. [File, Standard]

Social media, an internet-based form of communication, has given rise to several platforms, allowing users to have conversations, share information and create web content.

But that has also created fodder for fake accounts, which have in turn provided a breeding ground for fake news.

Twitter, for instance, is most notorious with fake accounts spreading fake news.

One such account is @SpecIndex_Afric. This account, created in February 2021 with 1,084 followers, says in its bio that its key strength areas include Africa’s finance, business, news, Science and sports.

However, it is a pseudo account of the respected news platform @spectatorindex, which has 2.21 million followers, having joined Twitter in July 2013.

Its bio states: “Focused on finance, business, news, Science and sports”.

One may confuse the two, but the catch is in the Twitter handle and number of followers.

Furthermore, the credible account has a website, while the fake account has no accompanying website.

Spectator Index - 22nd March

- Daily news and politics

- Latest in business and finance

- Commodity, currency and stock-market data

- Research summary on vaccination

- Sent to your inbox weekdays at 9am EST, 1pm GMT

Subscription link: https://t.co/2sdvQKgimP pic.twitter.com/CeCsDqns7o

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) March 22, 2022

@SpecIndex_Afric has, for a while now, been a major source of fake news and political falsehoods, starting with a tweet dated March 22, 2022 captioned: “Revealed: Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto ranked as the best orator in Africa. This comes after his US and UK tours. He is closely followed by South Africa’s Julius Malema.”

A screenshot of the tweet by the fake Spectator Index account.

Another tweet dated March 21, 2022 is captioned: “Just in: Kenya’s Lord Abraham Mutai ditches to UDA.”

Another one reads: “Revealed: Kenya’s Interior CS Dr Fred Matiangi to support DP Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance.”

As Kenya gears up for the August 9 General Election, in an already heated political environment, there is growing concern over the mushrooming of fake social media accounts, and Kenyans have to be vigilant.

Several Twitter users have already reported the fake Spectator Index account.

@iconic_champ_, while replying to a tweet by @SpecIndex_Afric, said: “We’re reporting this account until it gets suspended.”

Attaching a screenshot of the fake account, city lawyer Donald Kipkorir (@DonaldBKipkorir) tweeted: “Dear @spectatorindex, some fraudsters and conmen in Kenya have cloned your handle and use it to spew political falsehoods… Report them to Twitter to be permanently suspended, including its operators.”